Were Italy’s 1982 World Cup winners really any good? Enzo Bearzot’s Azzurri stumbled through the group stage with no wins, only to beat Argentina, Brazil, Poland and West Germany in one of football’s greatest turnarounds. But when The Greatness Index crunched the numbers, Italy 1982 ranked second from bottom among all champions — just above Argentina 2022.

Italy’s 1982 World Cup triumph was a rebirth of a footballing giant. From Paolo Rossi’s redemption arc to the fall of Brazil’s magical era, explore how Italy rose from scandal to glory in one of the tournament’s greatest narratives.