One of the most renowned football leagues in the world is the beloved Serie A. Sponsored by Telecom Italia, which is why it is also known as Seria A TIM, it is at the top of the Italian football system. Many players have been a part of it and many wish they could be at some point – one of these players, which you can read about here, is someone who’s been a part of the top quality football for a while. Today, we are going to talk about the history of this Italian league, what teams need to do before they can enter it, the relegation, the number of teams, and, really, all there is to know about it.

Where It All Started

Before 1929, the competition in Italy was constricted to regional groups taking each other on. In fact, something resembling this league already existed in the very late 1800s, but due to many conflicts and confusing divisions, Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A was created. The winners of the cup would receive Coppa Campioni d’Italia. Not only that, but since 1924 the winners were graced with wearing the so-called little shield on their kits. The team that wins in the cup is often said to have won the Scudetto, or the aforementioned little shield. When Serie A came to be, another division rose up in its shadow as a relegation measure – it was Serie B.

System

This is the top league in Italy, meaning that only the best teams in the whole country can compete and win the cup. As mentioned before, Serie A and Serie B are the first and the second tier of the league, though there is also the third one, added a few years after its higher ranking predecessors – Serie C.

As is the case with many top-tier national championships, there are 20 teams competing in Serie A. The competition lasts from August until May, and every team goes against everyone else twice, once at home and one away. Like with La Liga, the top 4 teams get to compete in the UEFA Champions League group stage. If the teams are tied, several factors are considered regarding which team would get to progress. These include the points, the goal difference, and the total number of goals scored.

Who Is the Best?

The best team in the league is Juventus, which is also the team with most titles won – 35. With their rank, of course, comes a list of rivals that bring the best in their game. At home, their biggest competition comes when they face against A.C. Milan, though they have had a few run-ins with Internazionale and Torino. The club is heavily invested in, which Juventus uses to scout for some young talent that would join their ranks in time. One of the more notable players at the time of writing is the defender and current captain of the team – Giorgio Chiellini.