This is a list of all the captains who played for the Italy national football team.

Francesco Calì was the first captain of the Italy national football team.

The only players who were captains in all matches they have played in the national team were Giuseppe Milano (11 appearances), Francesco Calì (2 caps) and Giulio Cappelli (2 caps).

Gianluigi Buffon wore the captain band the most times: 80.

Gianluigi Buffon is also the goalkeeper who has worn the captain band the most times: 80.

Valentino Mazzola and Sandro Mazzola as well as Cesare Maldini and Paolo Maldini are the only cases of father and son who have worn the captain band during their respective times on the national team. Goalkeepers, Gianluigi Buffon and Lorenzo Buffon are distant cousins. Attilio Ferraris and Pietro Ferraris, despite the same surname, are not relatives.

Gianluigi Donnarumma is the current captain of the national team.

List of captains by appearances Updated as of 7 June 2026.

Players in bold are still active. Players in italics served as the designated captain for his captaincy period.

# Name Captain Appearances Goals National years Captaincy years Ref1Gianluigi Buffon8017601997–20182010–20182Fabio Cannavaro7913621997–20102002–20103Paolo Maldini7412671988–20021994–20024Giacinto Facchetti709431963–19771966–19775Dino Zoff5911201968–19831977–19836Gianluigi Donnarumma348302016–2021–7Giuseppe Bergomi338161982–19981988–19918Franco Baresi318111982–19941991–19949Adolfo Baloncieri2747251920–19301927–193010Renzo De Vecchi264301910–19251920–192510Leonardo Bonucci2612182010–20232014–202312Giampiero Boniperti243871947–19601952–196013Giorgio Chiellini2211782004–20222012–202214Giuseppe Meazza1753331930–19391937–193914Sandro Salvadore173621960–19701963–196616Umberto Caligaris165901922–19341931–193417Giuseppe Milano111101911–19141911–191418Gaetano Scirea107821975–19861984–198619Luigi Allemandi92401925–19361934–193619Silvio Piola934301935–19521940–195219Marco Tardelli98161976–19851983–198519Antonio Cabrini97391978–19871983–198719Andrea Pirlo9116132002–20152010–201524Alessandro Altobelli861251980–19881986–198724Virginio Rosetta85201920–19341929–193426Riccardo Carapellese716101947–19561949–195026Luigi Cevenini729111915–19291925–192926Alessandro Del Piero791271995–20082004–200829Demetrio Albertini67931991–20021996–200029Carlo Annovazzi61701947–19521951–195229Lorenzo Buffon61501958–19621961–196229Sergio Cervato62841951–19601955–195929Daniele De Rossi6117212004–20172007–201729Virgilio Fossati61211910–19151912–191529Cesare Maldini61401960–19631962–196336Gianpiero Combi54701924–19341931–193436Alessandro Mazzola570221963–1974197236Valentino Mazzola51241942–19491947–194936Egisto Pandolfini52191950–19571952–195540Giancarlo Antognoni47371974–19831977–198140Ciro Immobile457172014–20232018–202340Gianni Rivera460141962–19741964–196543Alessandro Costacurta35921991–19981995–199743Attilio Ferraris32801926–19351934–193543Alessandro Florenzi34922012–20222020–202243Alessandro Nesta37801996–2006200443Gianluca Vialli359161985–19921989–199248Nicolò Barella270102018–2024–48Romeo Benetti25521971–19801978–197948Giacomo Bulgarelli22971962–1967196648Francesco Calì2201910191048Giulio Cappelli2211936–1936193648Fulvio Collovati25031979–1986198548Giovanni Ferrari244141930–1938193848Pietro Ferraris21431935–1947194748Alfredo Foni22301936–1942193648Gennaro Gattuso27312000–2010200948Alberto Gilardino257192004–20132011–201348Jorginho25752016–20242021–202448Ardico Magnini22001953–19571956–195748Marco Materazzi24122001–20082004–200548Riccardo Montolivo26622007–20172013–201448Miguel Montuori21221956–19601959–196048Maino Neri2801948–1954194848Gianluca Pagliuca23901990–19981994–199548Pietro Rava23001935–19461939–194248Armando Segato22001953–19591958–195948Marco Verratti25532012–20232019–202348Gianluca Zambrotta29821999–2010201070Massimo Ambrosini13501999–2008200670Roberto Baggio156271988–2004199270Federico Bernardeschi13962016–2022202170Fulvio Bernardini12631925–1932193270Sergio Brighenti1921959–1961196170Tarcisio Burgnich16621963–1974197370Piero Campelli11101912–1921192070Antonio Cassano139102003–2014201170Gino Colaussi125151935–1940193970Bryan Cristante14822017–2025–70Giovanni Di Lorenzo15352019–2024–70Antonio Di Natale142112002–2012200970Stephan El Shaarawy13272012–202070Ciro Ferrara14901987–2000200070Claudio Gentile17111975–1984198470Mario Gianni1601927–1933193270Lorenzo Insigne154102012–2022201870Giacomo Losi11101960–1962196270Bruno Mora12141959–1965196270Bruno Nicolè1821958–1964196170Christian Panucci15741994–2008200370Angelo Peruzzi13101995–2006200570Alfredo Pitto12921928–1935193570Giuseppe Rossi13072008–2014201070Aristodemo Santamaria11131915–1923192170Angelo Schiavio121151925–1934193370Salvatore Sirigu12802010–2021202070Luca Toni147162004–20092005Total97 players897 1910–20261910–2026

List of captains by captaincy period List of captaincy periods of the various captains throughout the years.

1910 Francesco Calì 1911–1914 Giuseppe Milano 1914–1915 Virgilio Fossati 1920–1925 Renzo De Vecchi 1925–1927 Luigi Cevenini 1927–1930 Adolfo Baloncieri 1931–1934 Umberto Caligaris 1934 Gianpiero Combi 1935–1936 Luigi Allemandi 1937–1939 Giuseppe Meazza 1940–1947 Silvio Piola 1947–1949 Valentino Mazzola 1949–1950 Riccardo Carapellese 1951–1952 Carlo Annovazzi 1952–1960 Giampiero Boniperti 1961–1962 Lorenzo Buffon 1962–1963 Cesare Maldini 1963–1966 Sandro Salvadore 1966–1977 Giacinto Facchetti 1977–1983 Dino Zoff 1983–1985 Marco Tardelli 1985–1986 Gaetano Scirea 1986–1987 Antonio Cabrini 1988–1991 Giuseppe Bergomi 1991–1994 Franco Baresi 1994–2002 Paolo Maldini 2002–2010 Fabio Cannavaro 2010–2018 Gianluigi Buffon 2018–2022 Giorgio Chiellini 2022–2023 Leonardo Bonucci 2023 Ciro Immobile 2024– Gianluigi Donnarumma

Notes

References

External links Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio - Captains