World Cup 2014 Team Spotlight – Italy
The Italians have always been part of world football aristocracy, and they’ll expect commensurate results in this summer’s World Cup, even being in such a tricky Group D.
ITALY
Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy
Most capped: Gianluigi Buffon (139)
Top scorer (active): Daniele De Rossi (15 goals)
Odds to win 2014 World Cup: 22/1
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Thirty-six year old Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is still pulling the cart for the Italians. He was long the world’s premier goalkeeper and though he’s old, he can still win a game in a pressurized spot.
It’ll be the last trip around the block for Buffon, so he’ll intend to leave a legacy in 2014.
Midfielder Andrea Pirlo is another vital piece to Italy’s Cup efforts, though he is also no spring chicken at age 35.
There is somewhat a changing of the guard occurring in Italian football at the moment, as the last of the stars from the previous decade gradually ride off into the sunset.
Striker Mario Balotelli will be expected to contribute heavily. The eccentric striker already has 12 goals for Italy in just 29 international caps.
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The AC Milan star will need to be clicking for Italy to have enough goal-scoring punch and the 23-year old will be central to the Italian’s plans in the future.
Even when their squad doesn’t look totally impressive on paper, Italy is always a tough draw in international football.
This summer’s World Cup would be a time when it appears that Italy’s squad doesn’t have as much star power as some other nations (part of this might be due to Italians’ affinity for playing their club football domestically) but rest assured that they will emerge from the Group stage.
The oil money of Paris St-Germain has poached a bit of Italian talent over to the French league, but the majority of Italy’s best stay in the Serie A.
Developing domestic talent is a topic that England would do well to study with their progressively watered-down Premier League.
For Group opponent Uruguay, the health of Luis Suarez raises question marks, and nobody knows what the Three Lions of England will bring to the table until they are losing in penalty kicks.
The Italians, though, have a strong World Cup pedigree and an established, successful strategy. The azzuri won the World Cup as recently as 2006. Their ball possession is admirable and Buffon has been good for so many years, that he’s been relied upon to tidy up any mistakes.
Prediction: 1st in Group D
In addition to Buffon, Pirlo and Balotelli, Parma star Antonio Cassano will be needed for offensive output in Brazil. There are enough stars on the roster that if everyone performs up to snuff, Italy should emerge from Group D.
How far they go beyond there, however, is perhaps more questionable.
