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Italy's Daniele De Rossi - Source: Reuters -
Related
Italy play the All Whites - June 21 at 2am (NZT) in Nelspruit - Watch it LIVE on TVNZ
Italy
ITA
Nickname: Azzurri (The Blues)
Coach: Marcello Lippi
Qualifying region: Europe
Home kit: Blue shirt with white trim, blue
shorts with white trim, blue socks with white trim
Away kit: white shirt with blue trim, white shorts
with blue trim, blue and white socks
2010 FIFA World Cup group: F (along with
Paraguay, Slovakia and
New Zealand)
FIFA World Ranking: 5
2010 World Cup qualifying campaign:
Italy qualified top of their Group, several points ahead
of Republic of Ireland (who lost the play off to France)
World Cup history:
2010 South Africa will be the reigning World Cup Champions' 17th
appearance at a World Cup.
Italy has won the FIFA World Cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006) and lost out to Brazil twice (1994 and 1970). They were host nation in 1990.
Germany (2006): Germany beat France 5-3 in a penalty
shootout.
Italy (1990): Italy reached the Semi Finals where they lost 4-3 in
a penatly shoot out to Argentina. They went on to beat England 2-1
for Thrid place
Trophy case:
UEFA European Champions - 1968 (and Runner Up 2000)
World Cup 2006, 1982, 1938, 1934
Olympic Gold - 1934, Berlin
Olympic Bronze - 2004 Athens and 1928 Amsterdam
Key Players: Fabio Cannavaro (C), Gianluigi Buffon, Gennaro Gattuso, Alberto Gilardino
Group Matches (F):
v PAR - Jun 15 at 6.30am in Cape Town
v NZL - Jun 21 at 2.00am in Nelspurit -
Watch it LIVE on
ONE
v SVK - Jun 25 at 2.00am in Johannesburg
