Sport in Italy Sport in Italy Sport in Italy has a long tradition. In several sports, both individual and team, Italy has good representation and many successes. Football is the most popular sport in Italy. Italy won the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and is (along with Germany) currently the second most successful football team in World Cup history, after Brazil, having won four FIFA World Cup championships. Basketball, volleyball, and cycling are the next most popular/played sports, with Italy having a rich tradition in all three. Italy also has strong traditions in swimming, water polo, rugby union, tennis, athletics, fencing and Formula One.
Raimundo Saporta Pavilion in honor of the club director who had died in February 1997. The pavilion had increased seating capacity of 5,200 seats. The bad economic situation of the club forced club president Florentino Pérez to sell the lands on which the Sports city was located for an estimated 188 million euros in November 2001. The demolition of the arena took place in August 2004, and Real Madrid moved its home games to Palacio Vistalegre. The former site of the Sports city and the Raimundo Saporta Pavilion is now used for the Four Towers Business Area, an Important business park. Raimundo Saporta