Italy 2010 World Cup Team

The only country to have taken home the FIFA World Cup twice in a row other than Brazil, are Italy. In South Africa this year the Italians may look out to come up with a sequel of their predecessors 1934 and 1938 accomplishment. They defend their Cup in South Africa and in order to retain the same, they will have to put up more than just a serious fight.

The Italians exhibited warrior like traits in the qualifying matches. Marcello Lippi's men managed to come out on top of their respective group, courtesy their uncomplicated and determined approach to their brand of football. The dominant Italian team shot 18 goals past opposition goalkeepers and gave away only 7, thus drawing three matches and winning seven in the process. Gianluigi Buffon, Italy’s wall of a goalkeeper, apart from Italy’s fortified defence, deserves props for the goals he saved in the qualifying matches. He is considered to be one of the better if not the best goalkeeper in the competition; getting a football past him will take more than just shades of brilliance. The Italians also have an ‘over performer’ in Alberto Gilardino who’s visiting South Africa as the Italian player with the most number of goals in the matches that preceded the World Cup.

The capable Italian team is steered on by an expert strategy implementer, 61-year-old Marcello Lippi. The mastermind coach is recognized and known for his ability to send in and constantly change the mix of Italian players on the field during a match. The coach is also a connoisseur at getting the best out his team and at the right moments of the game, the 2006 result being a testament to this fact. The fans of the Azzurri pack will also expect dynamic feats from 36-year-old veteran Captain Fabio Cannavaro and swift tackler Gennaro Gattuso. Gennaro is indeed a lion on the field, what with his flourishing energy and insatiable hunger for victory.

"No team is superior to Italy. I don't want to say that we're better than everyone, but you might say that we're not inferior to any other team," proclaimed an assertive Marcello Lippi. Will this assertion hold true in the storm that is the FIFA World Cup 2010? Only time and the team’s performance can validate the claim of the Italian coach!

The Pre-World Cup list of players for Italy is given below.