As we countdown to the World Cup we preview the sides taking part. Today it's ltaly's turn.
As we countdown to the start of the World Cup on June 11, Fox Soccer's Jamie Trecker will preview each of the 32 teams playing in South Africa and tell you everything you need to know about each nation represented at the world's greatest sporting event. Here he looks at Italy.
Italy boasts stunning culture and architecture. The art works of Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Tintoretto and Caravaggio, the operas of Verdi and Puccini, and the cinema of Federico Fellini are world-wide artistic treasures.
So are the glorious architectural achievements of Venice, Florence and Rome. Italian design and cuisine are also rightly feted worldwide.
Roman law and the very language of Latin have influenced every Western society.
However, from a football perspective, Serie A and B are amongst the most troubled leagues in Europe. Bankruptcy or severe financial woes have hit several major teams - Parma, Lazio, Napoli and Sampdoria spring to mind immediately - and the league continues to struggle with a byzantine TV rights system that effectively concentrates power and money at the major clubs while denying the smaller clubs badly-needed revenue.
That said, the concept of the sport as a thing of beauty is Italian in origin, and Italy's football can be truly dazzling. It can also be deadly dull, as the country places a premium on defensive tactics in league matches and clubs often times seem more willing to play for draws than risk losing.
Italians can also beat themselves on the pitch, with the team notorious for melting down under pressure. But when Italy are firing on all cylinders, the Azzurri are very difficult to beat: they delight in the sublime and are voracious when opponents slip up.
PAST WORLD CUP SUCCESS:
Italy are the reigning champs. They are four-time winners (1934, the year they hosted, 1938 in France, 1982 in Spain and 2006 in Germany) and perennial contenders (finishing in the top four in 1970, 1978, 1990, 1994). Italy is one of the teams to beat in 2010. This is their 17th appearance in the finals. They were bronze medalists in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
REGIONAL SUCCESS:
Italy were crowned European champions in 1968.
LEAGUE OVERVIEW:
Serie A is one of the most gloriously celebrated leagues, and also one of the messiest. Despite hosting such world-class teams as Inter Milan, Juventus, AC Milan and Roma, the league itself has been bedeviled by financial irregularities and bankruptcies. Accusations of match-fixing are common and corruption and doping have recently raged through the Italian sport. It must be noted however that Inter Milan recently won the 2010 Champions League ahead of Bayern Munich.
MANAGER:
Marcello Lippi, who won the Cup in 2006. He led Juventus to the European Cup, and enjoyed stints at Inter, Napoli and many others. He's considered one of the great coaches of all time.
KEY PLAYERS:
Gigi Buffon (Juventus) is aging, but he's still one of the top 'keepers in the world. Captain Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus) is the rock on which the team is built, a solid, intelligent defender who can take over a game. Andrea Pirlo, assuming his recent injury doesn't keep him out of action, and Gennaro Gattuso (both AC Milan) are the smart men in the middle, again showing some age but also carrying a lot of experience. Up top, Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus) and Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina) are your target men.
FIFA RANKINGS:
5th. Highest was 1st (2007), lowest was 16 (1996).
FIRST ROUND OPPONENTS:
New Zealand, Slovakia, Paraguay
HOW THEY QUALIFIED:
Italy won Group 8, getting seven wins and three draws en route.
PERCENTAGE CHANCE TO PROGRESS:
100%. Italy should sail through this group.
