Italy end 64-year wait for home win over France in Nations League

Italy ended a 64-year wait for a home victory over France with a 3-1 win at San Siro on Thursday in the fifth round of the Nations League.

The result brought an end to a long run of disappointing results against Les Bleus on Italian soil and moved Italy level with France on 10 points at the top of Group A. Italy lead on goal difference and head-to-head record.

France had not lost to Italy away from home since 5 May 1962, when the Azzurri won 2-1 in Florence.

France took the lead in that match through Jean-Claude Piumi in the 28th minute, but Jose Altafini scored twice in the 47th and 51st minutes to secure victory for the hosts.

The teams met several times in Italy after that game without another home win for Italy. France also won 3-1 on their most recent visit to San Siro, in November 2024, in the Nations League.

Olise scores but France surrender lead

France went ahead after just 10 minutes on Thursday when Michael Olise capitalised on an error by Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Pio Esposito equalised in the 26th minute before Italy were awarded a penalty after the interval. Sebastiano Esposito missed from the spot in the 60th minute, but Davide Frattesi put the hosts ahead three minutes later.

Pio Esposito then scored Italy’s third from another penalty in the 75th minute to complete the comeback.

The result also marked a first in Dayot Upamecano’s international career. France conceded three goals in a match in which the defender played all of normal time.

The previous occasion on which France conceded three goals with Upamecano on the pitch came in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina. However, those goals were scored across 120 minutes after the match went to extra time, before France lost the final on penalties.

Upamecano played in the Qatar final, which ended 3-3 before Argentina prevailed in a shoot-out in one of the most dramatic matches in World Cup history.

The defeat was Zinedine Zidane’s first as France manager.

The reverse fixture between the sides had finished 1-1. Olise gave France the lead with a superb free-kick before Alessandro Bastoni levelled for Italy.

Italy will now travel to face Belgium in their final group match with greater confidence and only need a draw to reach the Nations League quarter-finals.