Italy World Cup 2010 Profile

April 29th, 2010 | by: chris | View Comments

The champs are here, and in tote with their 2006 trophy are far more questions than answers. Despite the familiar faces floating at every corner’s turn, including Marcello Lippi, back for a second tour, it’s not the same side as 2006.

And maybe it’s precisely because of those familiar faces. The squad is older, with many of the stars enjoying their primes four years ago, in a young man’s game, which inspired little confidence. Then again, Italy weren’t being given a great deal of consideration before the last tournament, and they managed to do alright. But because of those aging faces and consequent drops in form, the squad is fuzzy, hardly concrete, with the final games of the season still looking to book some a South African ticket.

So as ever with Italy, we’ll see when the games begin – no sooner.


Nickname: Azzurri

Group: F; Paraguay, Slovakia, New Zealand.

FIFA World Ranking as of March 31st 2010: 5th

Coach: Marcello Lippi and his cigar chompin’ are back for another go at the World Cup, having guided Italy to glory in 2006 before taking a couple years off to sail the world and not coach football. His trophy cabinet is bustling, his motivational skills top-notch, his mug makes you think he might just be related to Paul Newman, and he is, without a doubt, one of the best coaches in the world.

Key Players: There are more spots up for grabs than usual, with a formation still debated, but one thing seems assured: Lippi likes the old guard. Gigi Buffon is immovable as one of the two best keepers in the world at the back. At this point some may not like it, but outside of injury, the back will look awfully similar to 2006 with German hero and captain Fabio Cannavaro, Dortmund hero Fabio Grosso and Gianluca Zambrotta. The only change will be Giorgio Chiellini, likely ensconced in the center of Italy’s defense for some years. There are other possibilities, but Lippi’s history says this.

In midfield, BFF’s Andrea Pirlo, the playmaking architect, and Daniele De Rossi, the maniacal defensive mid, will put up house in the center, with Mauro Camoranesi lurking in the shadows. The future – and perhaps present – may lie in Claudio Marchisio, currently Italy’s brightest young gem in midfield, and Riccardo Montolivo, the closest thing Italy has to a vice-Pirlo. Also worth noting winger Simone Pepe is a Lippi favorite, which seals his deal.

Up top Toto Di Natale will be fresh off the complete inability to stop scoring goals in Serie A, while Alberto Gilardino has made a return in the national frame and Giampaolo Pazzini is Italy’s brightest young prima punta coming into his own, with lots of goals in tow. Another Lippi favorite, Vincenzo Iaquinta, will likely sub himself into some sort of role eventually along with Giuseppe Rossi.

The real question, however, is whether or not Lippi will put in a phone call to one of the peninsula’s two geniuses who’ve been out of the frame either due to retirement (Francesco Totti) or being Antonio Cassano (Antonio Cassano).

Player with best YouTube video: It’s not glossy and it’s not going to win any cinematography awards, but Fabio Cannavaro’s defensive clinic in Germany was something to behold. (Defenders don’t get enough highlight love anyway.)

Player with best name: Antonio Di Natale – Translated, it means Antonio Of Christmas.

He was born on October 13th.

Player with best nickname: If Antonio Cassano somehow makes it he’ll lap the field, but right now, it has to be Paul Newman. I mean Marcello Lippi.

Qualification: Italy rather coasted through qualification, winning the group and going undefeated – a basic expectation.

Interesting: The Azzurri are in something of a pattern of making the final every twelve years and winning it every twenty-four:

1970: Runner up
1982: Winner
1994: Runner up
2006: Winner

So naturally this year they’ll crash out before the final, lose in the final in 2018 and win it all again in 2030.

National Anthem: Lacking not for names: Il Canto degli Italiani (The Chant of the Italians), Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) and/or Inno di Mameli (Hymn of Mameli).

Kit: You can get a good glimpse of the Italy home kit here – along with whatever tragedy they’ve handed Gigi Buffon – while this is the away.

You can buy the Italy World Cup kits in our store.

World Cup History:

Expectations: It’s Italy, so the expectation is to contend each and every time. The squad is aging so expectations of a defense have dwindled, largely because that vaunted vaulted defense is seemingly no longer, but they’ll still be expected to put up a performance befitting of the House of Savoy blue.

Squad: TBA

Blog: Julian & Paul are over at the Italy WCB.

- More World Cup 2010 Team Profiles.

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