Italy
Italy - Group D (Uruguay, Costa Rica, England)
Italy is the second most successful national team in World Cup football with four titles, including the second and third editions, and two more final appearances. It is considered to be one of the strongest national teams throughout history. Italy is the first team to successfully defend its title, 1938 after 1934. Brazil matched the feat in 1962 after 1958
Profile - The Blue Ones
Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup just once, in 1958,although they declined to participate in the inaugural edition and this makes it the joint-second most appearances at the tourney. Italy and Uruguay are the only teams to win the World Cup on their first appearance
Traditionally Italy are considered to be very solid at the back and are known for scoring measly. But the current team seems to break the trend by scoring comparatively heavily but letting in more goals in the process. They also tend to rely more on headers for scoring and are not scared of coming from behind
Confederation: UEFA (Europe)
Coach: Cesare Prandelli (ITA)
FIFA Ranking: 9 (8-May-2014)
Nickname: Gli Azzurri (The Blues)
Key Players: Balotelli, Ranocchia, Veratti
Legends: Meazza, Maldini, Zoff
World Champions: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
History - Italian Flair
Italy is the only team that can match Brazil at every stage of world football and no wonder they are called one of the best national teams of the world. Italy won four world trophies, in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006. They have been runners up twice, 1970 and 1994. They also won a Euro Championship in 1968 and finished second in 2000 and 2012. They participated in 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and finished in the third place
Qualification - Unusually Smooth
Breaking the trend of suffering through qualifiers, Italy raced through the campaign smoothly and unbeaten. Pandelli's change of approach from the age old Defence-First schema seemed to reap benefits as the only points they dropped were in four of the draws and qualified with games to spare
Prospects - Likely to Survive
The strong qualifying campaign imbibed immense confidence in the team, the coach new methodology might work in Italy's favor to help them get out of the fabled Group of Death. Italy is expected to top the group and in doing so, would be on the way to meet the defending champions Spain in the last 8. Their way to the final might also be encumbered with Argentina, Belgium or Portugal
Squad
Goalkeepers:
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris St Germain), Mattia Perin (Genoa)
Defenders:
Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorigo Chiellini (Juventus), Gabriel Paletta (Parma), Ignazio Abate (Milan), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Matteo Darmian (Torino)
Midfielders:
Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Thiago Motta (Paris St-Germain), Marco Verratti (Paris St-Germain), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Marco Parolo (Parma), Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina)
Forwards:
Mario Balotelli (Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Ciro Immobile (Torino) Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
May 13: Cesare Prandelli announced a 30-man provisional squad
May 13: Cesare Prandelli announced a 30-man provisional squad
Fixtures
Italy vs Costa Rica on June 20 at Recife
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