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.
Sport in Paraguay extent Uruguay (both of which have qualified for the Rugby World Cup), but the sport can be found in almost all nations in South America, including Paraguay. This is partly due to massive immigration from Europe, notably the British Isles, France, and Italy. It is difficult to single out one of these nations as being primarily responsible for the birth of Paraguayan rugby, as illustrated by Asuncion Rugby Club, which was formed by two Britons, two Argentines, a Dutchman, and a New Zealander. The first Paraguayan rugby player of note was Nelson Ayala, who played with the English club Saracens