As England prepare for their World Cup opener against Italy on Saturday, we look back at five key meetings between the two nations.
From their first meeting in 1933, to the recent penalty shoot-out heartache in Ukraine two years ago - the rivalry between two of the game's most prominent football nations has thrown up some memorable encounters.
The first meeting
Italy 1-1 England, 13 May 1933
England set off for Italy from Victoria Station in London
Benito Mussolini was in power in Italy when the Three Lions first visited, just over 80 years ago. Travelling by train and boat, England under the guidance of the legendary Herbert Chapman took on Italy at the Stadio Nazionale del PNF - which translates to 'National Stadium of the National Fascist Party'.
The game ended all square after Arsenal's Cliff Bastin scored his first England goal to cancel out Giovanni Ferrari's opener.
England lineup: Hibbs, Goodall, Hapgood, Strange, White, Copping (C), Geldard, Richardson, Hunt, Furness, Bastin.
Attendant: Herbert Chapman
Post-war party time
Italy 0-4 England, 16 May 1948
Tom Finney scoring England's fourth goal in Turin
The first post-war meeting between the pair - the fourth overall - resulted in a sensational 4-0 victory for England in Turin. First-half goals by Stan Mortensen and Tommy Lawton put the Three Lions in the driving seat.
At the other end keeper Frank Swift pulled off a number of spectacular saves to maintain England's advantage, before Tom Finney struck a further two goals in the space of two minutes to record a scoreline that sent shockwaves around the football world.
England lineup: Swift (C), Scott, Howe, Franklin, Wright, Cockburn, Matthews, Mortensen, Lawton, Finney, Mannion.
Manager: Walter Winterbottom
Knockout in Turin
Italy 1-0 England, 15 June 1980
Tony Woodcock is held by Italian defender Claudio Gentile
The Three Lions took on hosts Italy in the second group match of the 1980 European Championship.
England, without the injured Trevor Francis, struggled in front of goal against the Azzurri before Marco Tardelli's 79th-minute strike sent the home crowd into raptures.
Ron Greenwood's side were then set an uphill battle against Spain in the final round - knowing only a formidable victory would be enough to secure their passage to the knock-out phase.
England lineup: Shilton, Neal, Sansom, Thompson, Watson, Wilkins, Keegan (C), Coppell, Birtles, Kennedy, Woodcock.
Manager: Ron Greenwood
"And then one night in Rome, we were strong, we had grown"
Italy 0-0 England, 11 October 1997
Beckham, Ince and Gascoigne celebrate World Cup qualification in Rome
England got the draw the needed in the Italian capital to secure automatic qualification to the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
After a bruising encounter at the Stadio Olimpico, the astute tactics of Glenn Hoddle's side prevailed and more than 80,000 Italian fans in attendance went home frustrated, and the small pocket of travelling England fans elated.
During the game Ian Wright almost gave England the lead when he rounded the goalkeeper, but hit a post.
Angelo Di Livio was sent off and Christian Vieri came within inches of scoring in the last moments of an action-packed yet scoreless draw.
Paul Ince, wearing a bloodied head-bandage, become the night's defining image and epitomised England's fighting spirit.
England lineup: Seaman, Campbell, Le Saux, Ince, Adams (C), Southgate, Beckham, Gascoigne, Wright, Sheringham, Batty.
Manager: Glenn Hoddle
Penalty shootout agony in Ukraine
England 0-0 Italy (Italy win 4-2 on penalties), 24 June 2012
England suffer penalty shootout heartache in Kiev
Roy Hodgson tasted tournament defeat with England for the first time two years ago as the Three Lions lost their sixth competitive penalty shootout after a tense affair in the quarter-final of Euro 2012.
Despite their dominance, Italy could not score and the match went to penalties. Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney netted from 12 yards, but Gianluigi Buffon saved Ashley Cole's effort and Ashley Young missed his penalty, leaving Alessandro Diamanti to send England home heartbroken.
England lineup: Hart, Johnson, Cole, Terry, Lescott, Gerrard (C), Young, Milner, Parker, Rooney, Welbeck.
Manager: Roy Hodgson
