Italy

The excitement in football once again kicks off in South Africa as the biggest show on earth is ready to give the fans a fast paced action pack multitude of games. The last time the World Cup showed its wares was 2006 when Italy were crowned champions. While there will be familiar faces in the Italian lineup most of them have aged and will show signs of slowing down.

Despite half of the teams lineup undergoing a change the Italians will still wear their trademark blue football shirts and football shorts that would instill some fighting spirit to the gritty Italian team. Although pundits are putting off the Italian teams title run this year they will still bring out there fighting form and try to win as much games so they can qualify for the semifinals.

Italy are in the same group as New Zealand, Slovakia and Paraguay.  They are being coach by the same coach who led them to victory in 2006. Although Marcello Lippi took some time off after the thrill of the 2006 conquest he is now back at the helm and chomping at the bit to try to take Italy back to champion’s status once again . He has a line up who have aged since 2006 yet they respond well under his leadership .

Back in goal is Gigi Buffon who is the number one goalkeeper in the Italian league and has played proudly for his country keeping away many potential goals

Another stalwart who is returning to the lineup of Team Italy is Fabio Cannavaro the defensive demon who made some key defensive moves in Italy’s journey to the 2006 World Cup championship. Now more than ever he would be called upon to lend some leadership on some of the new blood that were added to the lineup. Teaming up with Cannavaro at the defensive end is another returning player in the person of Mauro Camoranesi the two will have to step up to bring out that gem of a defensive strategy in order to start a domino effect on the other players.

Even though the Italian team holds a pattern of winning the World Cup every 12 years this year’s team would be hard pressed on winning again simply because age has become a liability in a team that is trying to return to glory once again.  Let’s see what fighting spirit the men in the blue football shirts and football shorts bring in 2010.