Italy, the 2006 World Cup winners, were eliminated in the group stage, while New Zealand became the only unbeaten team of the 2010 tournament.
Key Facts
- Group stage dates
- 14 June 2010 – 24 June 2010
- Teams in group
- Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
- Italy's points total
- 2 points
- New Zealand's points total
- 3 (three draws) points
- Last Italian group-stage exit
- 1974 (prior to 2010)
- Italy's winless World Cup first
- First tournament without a single win
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Italy entered Group F as the reigning 2006 World Cup champions but struggled to replicate their form. Paraguay, New Zealand, and Slovakia posed competitive challenges, and Italy failed to secure convincing results in any of their three group matches, accumulating only two points.
Group F ran from 14 to 24 June 2010, featuring Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, and Slovakia. New Zealand drew all three matches to finish on three points, while Italy finished last with two points, failing to advance. Slovakia and Paraguay both progressed ahead of the defending champions.
Italy's elimination marked their first group-stage exit since 1974 and the first World Cup in which they did not win a single match. New Zealand's unbeaten record made them the only team to go through the entire 2010 tournament without a defeat, though they did not advance past the group stage.