Want to know about the different sports played in Italy? Find out what all the Italians are good at as we take a look at the sports that the nation enjoys most.
Italy is a country of people who love to eat but it is also home to some of the best sportsmen that the world has ever seen. With its long sporting tradition the country has been an honored representative in almost all the sports that you can think of. The Italians have managed to put forward commendable performances on both individual as well as team levels.
Football:
This is by far the most popular sport in Italy in terms of participation as well as spectators. The country has had the honor of holding the football world cup for four times in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 respectively. It is the current world champion and over the years the Italian national team has won the European Nations cup once and is credited with a gold medal in the Olympic Games.
Auto Racing:
Given the fact that Italy produces some of the world’s finest sports cars it is no surprise that Auto Racing is one of the county’s favorite games to indulge in. The nation plays host to a number of racing events such as the famous Italian Grand Prix.
Motorcycle Racing:
The thrill for speed is carried on to the two wheelers as well with motorcycle racing being one of the most followed sports on television. Some of the best names in the manufacturing industry of racing motorcycles along with some of the sport’s top cyclists belong to Italy.
Rugby Union and League:
Rugby is also a much loved sport in Italy as the country holds various local tournaments and takes part in a number of international championships as well. They are also a regular entry into the Rugby World Cup.
Basketball:
Believe it or not even basketball is becoming one of the nation’s fastest growing sports. The national league of the country is only after the NBA of America and ACB of Spain in terms of its prestige and position.
Volleyball:
This is a very commonly played sport around the country. The Italian Volleyball League is considered in the top 4 teams of the world.
Cycling:
Italy is only second to Belgium in terms of winning Cycling Championships and hence the sport finds itself very well represented in the country. There are a number of cycling tournaments held in the country during the year of which some are even 3 weeks long.
Athletics:
The Italians are very good on both track and field. The participants in national and international competitions are highly regarded in the eyes of the public.
Roller Hockey:
This sport dates back to 1922 and is now very popular around the world. The Italian national team is counted amongst the top four national teams in the world.
Traditional Sports:
There are some unique games that you will only be able to find in Italy. Certain team ball games like sphaeristerium are very famous in the country. There are many different versions of these kinds of sports that can be seen in the different regions of the country and many national competitions are held during the year. Brocce, billiard and palio are some of the other sports that are played on the national level.
