Bettarini received his only national team call-up in 2004, a warm-up friendly match in Palermo, against the Czech Republic before the start of UEFA Euro 2004, on 18 February. Bettarini's club teammate Sergio Volpi, as well as Parma's Simone Barone, also received their first call-up. During the experimental match, Bettarini played as one of the starting XI, and was replaced by Giuseppe Pancaro in the 79th minute. Italy manager Giovanni Trapattoni used all of his 22-men squad on the field, and made seven substitutions at half time; the match ended in a 2–2 draw.