South Africa World Cup 2010 Group F: Italy

GROUP F

Italy Paraguay New Zealand Slovakia

* = Seeded Team
[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]

*Italy

Road to South Africa

Italy were unbeaten in World Cup qualifying and of course head to South Africa as reigning World Champions.

While those two facts should give the Azzurri great confidence ahead of the tournament, their performance at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup shows they are a side with fallibilities.

A crushing 3-0 defeat to Brazil at that completion, as well as a shock 1-0 loss to Egypt saw Marcello Lippi's team crash out at the group stages.

Despite disappointing results at the Confederations Cup, the tournament will have at least given Italy valuable experience of playing in South Africa, which should bode well for 2010.

Fixtures

Italy Kit 1 Copyright © Soccerphile	Italy Kit 2 Copyright © Soccerphile

Italy v Paraguay 14 June; Cape Town
Italy v New Zealand 20 June; Nelspruit
Italy v Slovakia 24 June; Johannesburg

Analysis

The likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Gianluca Zambrotta, Andrea Pirlo and Fabio Cannavaro, still going strong aged 36, gives the Azzurri a strong if not slightly aging, spine to their squad.

Marcello Lippi cites the spirit in the Italian squad as one of the key reasons they won the World Cup in 2006 and with a very similar team selection likely in 2010, this positive mentality should carry to South Africa.

The one weakness of the Italian team is that they lack a forward of true world class, whereas Spain boast the likes of Torres and Villa, Brazil have Kaka and England have Rooney.

Italy's renowned strength at the back though and Buffon's ability to make match winning saves at the other end mean the Azzurri might not need to be prolific scorers to still do well in this World Cup.

Key player: Gianluigi Buffon

Italy's goalkeeper is as good as any around and 'Superman', as he is known in his homeland, is one major reason the Azzurri can win the World Cup again.

Buffon kept a total of five clean sheets in ten qualifying matches and also kept a 453-minute scoreless streak intact at the last World Cup. In fact the only goals he conceded in Germany was an own goal from Cristian Zaccardo in a game with the USA and a Zinedine Zidane penalty in the final with France.

One to watch: Domenico Criscito

Italy will be hoping that 22-year-old Domenico Criscito may be the man capable of filling the boots of Paolo Maldini over the next few decades.

The left-back was sold by Genoa to Juventus when he was just 16, such was his ability at a young age. He unfortunately failed to make his mark with the Old Lady of Italian football but having rejoined Genoa in 2009, is showing once again why he is considered such a top talent.

Coach: Marcello Lippi

Having won five Serie A titles, the Champions League and of course, the World Cup, Lippi is understandably regarded by many as the greatest Italian manager of all time.

Lippi first managed the Italian national side between 16 July 2004 and 12 July 2006 and returned to the post in the summer of 2008, following previous manager Roberto Donadoni's disappointing performance at Euro 2008.

Quite simply, what the 61-year-old doesn't know about football isn't worth knowing.

Record

1950, 1954, 1962, 1966 1974 First Round; 1986, 2002 Second Round; 1998 Quarter Finals; 1978 fourth place; 1990 Third place; 1970, 1994 Runners up; 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 Champions.

FIFA Ranking

Predictions & Latest Odds

Will make it out of the group and on to the semis.
World Cup Betting

Finished first in European qualifying group 8.

On the sidelines

Luigi Riva is Italy's highest goalscorer with 35.
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Soccerphile says

Of all the seeded teams in the World Cup draw, Italy must surely have been the most happy with their group opponents - Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia. While there are never any easy games at the World Cup, Lippi will be hoping that kind of opposition can allow his players the chance to gradually build up steam in the competition.

With a squad of household names and the best pedigree of any European nation at the World Cup, winners on four occasions, it would be a strong person to bet against Italy repeating their triumph of four years ago.

The Squad

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari)
Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)
Forwards: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli)

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