Italian football fans have long embraced the drama of English soccer. Serie A may be Italy’s top domestic league, but many Italian fans also follow the English Premier League with passion. In fact, Italian sources note that Serie A is one of the world’s most-followed competitions, alongside La Liga and the English Premier League.
The Premier League’s global popularity means its games are widely watched on Italian TV and online. Even UEFA rankings underscore this influence: at the end of the 2020–21 season, Serie A ranked third in Europe, behind only England’s Premier League and Spain’s LaLiga.
Italian newspapers and football sites often highlight England’s top league. TV broadcasters in Italy carry dozens of live Premier League matches each season, and Italian football fans frequently discuss English teams, players, and news on social media. As one Italian blog points out, the creation of the Premier League in 1992 transformed English football into “one of the most followed and competitive leagues on the planet,” attracting star players and fans from every corner of the globe.
This global appeal has deep roots: English clubs were among the first to turn football into a mass spectator sport (the Football League dates back to 1888), and today the Premier League routinely ranks #1 in UEFA’s club coefficient rankings. In short, English football’s prestige and excitement make it hugely important to Italian fans, not just for the big clubs like Manchester United or Liverpool, but also for storied teams like Everton.
Everton’s Italian Connection
Everton Football Club is one of England’s oldest and most traditional clubs, based in Liverpool since 1878. To Italian fans, Everton is known for its blue colors and historic Goodison Park, and it carries a reputation for exciting football. In recent years, Everton even had prominent Italian connections.
Most notably, the club was managed by Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti from 2019 to 2021. Ancelotti is a World Cup winner and one of Italy’s most famous managers, and his tenure at Everton gave Italian supporters a direct link to the club.
Moreover, Everton briefly signed an Italian player in the 1990s: defender Marco Materazzi joined from Perugia in 1998, becoming the first Italian ever to play for Everton. Though Materazzi’s time at Everton was short, it underscored the Premier League’s appeal to Italian talent.
Everton has also faced Italian teams in friendly and cup matches. For example, in the summer of 2024, Everton hosted AS Roma in a high-profile friendly at Goodison Park. A ToffeeWeb report noted that 31,300 fans packed the stadium for that Everton–Roma match. This strong turnout—carried by both Evertonians and visiting Italian supporters—highlights how Everton’s games can draw Italian interest. Traveling Italian fans, such as those from Roma, even visited Goodison Park en masse, reflecting the goodwill between English and Italian clubs. These events help raise Everton’s profile in Italy.
Everton also maintains official supporters’ clubs and fan forums in Italy, where Italians share news and match reactions in Italian. The ToffeeWeb site itself occasionally covers Everton news of interest to Italian readers. For instance, ToffeeWeb columnist Danny O’Neill wrote a feature about Everton’s friendly against Roma, praising Everton’s performance and noting the enthusiasm of the Italian crowd. Commentators there pointed out that the match was entertaining and that Roma’s technically-skilled players (a “relentless Italian defence,” in the writer’s words) gave Everton a taste of continental play. All this Italian coverage on Everton news sites shows that English football’s importance reaches Italy at both fan and media levels.
Sports Betting and English Football in Italy
Beyond media and fandom, one of the biggest connections between Italy and English football is sports betting. Betting on Premier League matches is extremely popular among Italians. Unlike some countries where gambling is lightly regulated, Italy has a highly developed betting market. In fact, one report notes that “Italy stands out as one of the most advanced countries in terms of gambling regulation”, especially for online sports betting. The Italian regulator (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, or ADM) tightly controls betting – only licensed operators can run betting websites. This means Italian fans often use domestic betting portals to wager on football, and many of these portals offer special deals around English games.
For example, Marathonbet is a popular bookmaker in Italy that often targets Premier League bettors. Marathonbet runs large welcome bonuses and free bets for new customers in Italy. Italian sports sites point out Marathonbet’s promotions and explain how to claim them. (As one ThePlayoffs article notes, Marathonbet offers a welcome bonus up to €350 for new sports bettors.) These promotions make English matches even more exciting for Italian fans, who can use these offers on Everton games or other Premier League fixtures. By presenting attractive bonus packages, betting firms effectively reinforce the importance of English football in Italy.
Besides promotions, Italian sportsbooks have a user-friendly environment for betting on the Premier League. Many betting sites let players start with just a small investment. For instance, there are top Italian betting sites where you can begin with as little as €5. These budget-friendly sites (such as Snai, Lottomatica, AdmiralBet, and bet365) allow new bettors to try the Premier League without much risk. This means even casual Everton fans can easily place a bet on a game and add to the excitement.
Another popular feature is cash-out, which lets bettors lock in a profit or minimize losses before all matches finish. The Playoffs explains that cash-out has become “a feature increasingly appreciated by Italian players”. Many of Italy’s licensed bookmakers now offer cash-out on football markets. Having cash-out available on Everton and other Premier League games makes betting more engaging for Italians, who can pull the trigger during live matches. Italian bettors thus feel more connected to English football by using advanced betting tools tailored to Premier League action.
Beyond specific betting mechanics, the sheer scale of betting on English football underscores its importance in Italy. Gambling revenues in Italy show that matches from Serie A, Premier League, LaLiga, and the Champions League are some of the highest-bet events. The Italian government even publishes statistics (through ADM) on gambling turnover, and year after year, a significant share comes from international football leagues. In other words, Italian betting interest helps keep English football highly visible: sportsbooks frequently advertise odds on Premier League games, and these odds are closely followed by Italian tipsters and media.
Everton’s Italian Legacy and Future
Combining all these factors, English football’s impact in Italy – and Everton’s niche within that – is clear. Everton may not have as many world titles as Juventus or Milan, but it remains one of Italy’s better-known foreign clubs thanks to its history and ongoing fan engagement. Italian fans respect Everton’s tradition of “fighting for the badge,” as Frank Lampard once put it, and they share that competitive passion. Everton’s recent performances in Europe and domestic cups also keep Italian interest alive.
Moreover, Italian coaches and players continue to forge ties. While Ancelotti’s era is remembered fondly, Everton still employs Italian staff and scouts players from Italy and South America. For example, Everton’s youth development often draws inspiration from Italy’s emphasis on technique. The club’s scouting network has even looked at talents in Italy’s lower leagues, recognizing that Italian football produces tactically astute players.
Crucially, Everton and Italian football share business and cultural connections. Premier League clubs tour Italy for pre-season training and marketing (Roma and Lazio have played Everton overseas), and Italian sponsors are often partners of English clubs. Italian broadcasters pay significant fees for Premier League rights, which means Everton’s games (with Italian commentators) reach TV audiences across Italy and Switzerland every week. These cross-border relationships mean Everton is part of Italy’s football conversation, not just an unrelated foreign team.
Betting Resources for Italian Football Fans
Italian readers interested in betting can find many recommended resources. For example, ThePlayoffs has published guides tailored to Italian bettors: they list promotions offered by betting sites like StarVegas without requiring a specific code, detail betting sites with a €5 deposit, and explain cash-out betting options. These articles help Italian fans choose legal, licensed sportsbooks to follow English football. Readers can also consult the official ADM portal for rules on online betting – ADM is the Italian regulator overseeing all gaming.
English football is very much alive in Italy. The Premier League’s high level of play, global stars, and commercial power ensure its importance on the Italian sporting landscape. Everton contributes to this by fielding competitive teams, engaging coaches like Ancelotti, and even sparking friendly rivalries with Italian clubs. For Italian supporters and sports bettors alike, English football – with Everton as part of it – remains a vital and thrilling tradition.