The match was the sixth FIFA World Cup final for Italy, and the second for France. Italy had won three of their previous finals (1934, 1938, 1982), losing two (1970, 1994), while France had won their only previous final (1998). It was the first final since 1978 in which neither Germany nor Brazil competed (and only the second since 1938); it was also the first all-European final since Italy won the World Cup in 1982, and the second final to be decided by a penalty shoot-out (1994 was the first, with Italy losing to Brazil on that occasion).