Alessandro Parisi's dream of earning a call in to the Italy squad has edged closer.
Messina defender Alessandro Parisi's dream of earning a call in to the Italy squad has edged a step closer.Parisi has enjoyed a superb start to Messina's debut campaign in Serie A and has caught the eye of current leaders Juventus.
The stopper, who scored 14 goals in Serie B last season, is now hoping to take his game to the next level by earning international recognition.
"The national team is a dream in my drawer for the future and one day it could also come true," said Parisi.
"Meanwhile I think of Messina and these big points earned against Siena (courtesy of a 4-1 win)."
Parisi's ambitions will have been lifted after he was named in Marcello Lippi's latest 50-man squad, used as a pre-selection for the 2006 World Cup.
Fifa request national coaches to submit a list of 50 players on a regular basis and Lippi has used this occasion to nominate Parisi.
Lippi has also included Monaco goalkeeper Flavio Roma, Chievo Verona midfielder Franco Semioli and Udinese's Giampaolo Pinzi for the first time.
Otherwise, the Azzurri coach has stuck to the tried and trusted names, although there is plenty of time for fluctuation in Lippi's thoughts ahead of the tournament in Germany.
Squad:
Abbiati (Milan), Buffon (Juventus), Pelizzoli (Roma), Peruzzi (Lazio), Roma (Monaco); Barzagli (Chievo), Bonera (Parma), Birindelli, F Cannavaro, Legrottaglie, Zambrotta (Juventus), Favalli, Materazzi (Internazionale), Ferrari (Roma), Nesta, Pancaro (Milan), Oddo, Zauri (Lazio), Parisi (Messina), Zaccardo (Palermo); Ambrosini, Gattuso, Pirlo (Milan), Barone, Marchionni (Parma), Blasi, Camoranesi, Tacchinardi (Juventus), Diana, Volpi (Sampdoria), De Rossi, Perrotta (Roma), Esposito (Cagliari), Fiore (Valencia), Pinzi (Udinese), Semioli (Chievo), C Zanetti (Inter); Bazzani, Flachi (Sampdoria), Cassano, Montella, Totti (Roma), Corradi, Di Vaio (Valencia), Del Piero (Juventus), Gilardino (Parma), F Inzaghi (Milan), Miccoli (Fiorentina), Toni (Palermo), Vieri (Inter)
