Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus). Goalkeeper. Born 28.1.78. Caps 81. Goals 0.
Italians believe he is the best in the world. Rarely makes a mistake for club or country and showed loyalty by sticking with Juventus following their match-fixing demotion in 2006. Prone to wearing a strange bobblehat with a hole in the top.
Marco Amelia (Livorno). Goalkeeper. Born 2.4.82. Caps 6. Goals 0.
Despite playing for a smaller team and there being little other competition for the reserve keeper's slot, Amelia deserves his place after keeping relegated Livorno in games they otherwise would have lost.
Morgan De Sanctis (Sevilla). Goalkeeper. Born 26.3.77. Caps 2. Goals 0.
Was in the squad for February's friendly win over Portugal but has rarely played for Sevilla this season.
Fabio Grosso (Olympique Lyon). Defender. Born 28.11.77. Caps 30. Goals 3.
His career has stalled since scoring the winning penalty in the 2006 World Cup final. A move to Inter Milan did not work out and he has not been on top form at Lyon. Invariably dependable for Italy, though.
Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid). Defender. Born 13.9.73. Caps 115. Goals 1.
The captain is slower and more error-prone than when Italy won the World Cup in 2006. However, he still commands the respect of team mates and opponents following his performances in Germany, where he earned the nickname "the Berlin Wall".
Christian Panucci (AS Roma). Defender. Born 12.4.73. Caps 74. Goals 3.
Ignored by Marcello Lippi during the victorious 2006 campaign because of a disagreement, the experienced defender has come back into the fold and scored the last-minute header which put Italy into the finals and eliminated Scotland.
Marco Materazzi (Inter Milan). Defender. Born 19.8.73. Caps 40. Goals 2.
Injury curtailed much of the season for "Matrix", but he will be fresh at least. His height makes him difficult to play against in either penalty area. Was upset when his words to Zinedine Zidane before being head-butted in the 2006 World Cup final were leaked days before his autobiography came out.
Andrea Barzagli (Palermo). Defender. Born 8.5.81. Caps 21. Goals 0.
Marco Materazzi's injury at the start of the season meant Barzagli became first-choice centre back for Italy's remaining Euro qualifiers. He let no-one down with some top displays, but has looked less commanding in Palermo's fetching pink kit this term.
Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus). Defender. Born 14.8.84. Caps 9. Goals 1.
Has forced himself into the reckoning with a series of strong displays for Juve, largely in the middle of the defence, but can play at left back.
Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona). Defender. Born 19.2.77. Caps 70. Goals 2.
A winger-turned-fullback, Italy look far more effective when he plays. Constant speculation he will join AC Milan from Barcelona in the close season.
Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan). Midfielder. Born 9.1.78. Caps 57. Goals 1.
Does not quite have the bite of old but "the Pitbull" is still one of the most feared defensive midfielders in the game. Featuring in a series of bizarre TV adverts in Italy has softened his image.
Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan). Midfielder. Born 19.5.79. Caps 45. Goals 7.
A threat from dead ball situations and precise with his passing, Pirlo is Italy's heartbeat, even if his form has dipped this season and he sometimes plays too deep. Shares his surname with an alcoholic tipple from his home town of Brescia.
Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan). Midfielder. Born 29.5.77. Caps 30. Goals 0.
The third member of the Milan midfield to also make up Italy's engine room but less noticed than Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso. Caused a storm after Milan won the Champions League last year by holding up a banner on the open top bus which informed rivals Inter where they could shove their scudetto.
Simone Perrotta (AS Roma). Midfielder. Born 17.9.77. Caps 40. Goals 2.
The World Cup winner has had an indifferent season but his left foot means he retains his place in Italy's squad.
Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma). Midfielder. Born 24.7.83. Caps 33. Goals 4.
Fierce in the tackle and the shot, De Rossi is like Gennaro Gattuso in not being the archetypal Italian player. His enthusiasm sometimes gets the better of him and has held back his international career.
Alberto Aquilani (AS Roma). Midfielder. Born 7.7.84. Caps 4. Goals 0.
Another Roma midfielder with an eye for a pass, his opportunities in the capital this season have been hampered by injury and a plethora of rivals for a first-team spot.
Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus). Midfielder. Born 4.10.76. Caps 34. Goals 3.
Can play in midfield or on the right of Italy's favoured three-pronged attack. Not always loved by Juve fans despite bringing class to a game. Born in Argentina, he is committed to the Azzurri.
Luca Toni (Bayern Munich). Forward. Born 26.5.77. Caps 33. Goals 15.
Tall and bustling, he is not a traditional Italian striker which makes him even more effective as the sole frontman. A late flourisher, he played for nine clubs before joining Bayern last May and was little known before his mid-to-late 20s.
Marco Borriello (Genoa). Forward. Born 18.6.82. Caps 2. Goals 0.
Forced his way into Roberto Donadoni's plans by bagging 19 Serie A goals and is likely to be Luca Toni's back-up. Banned for three months for failing a drugs test last year while at AC Milan.
Antonio Di Natale (Udinese). Forward. Born 13.10.77. Caps 17. Goals 5.
Unknown outside Italy, the diminutive player is the key part of the Azzurri's system where he operates as a left winger/left attacker. Injury or suspension to Udinese's top scorer would give Roberto Donadoni a big headache.
Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese). Forward. Born 31.1.83. Caps 8. Goals 3.
Antonio Di Natale's strike partner at Udinese, he burst onto the international scene with two goals in Italy's 2-0 qualifying win in Lithuania last June. His form has stuttered since though.
Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus). Forward. Born 9.11.74. Caps 85. Goals 27.
Ignored by Roberto Donadoni since a lacklustre showing in September's 0-0 draw with France, the 33-year-old has been in sparkling form since the turn of the year and has forced the coach's hand. Donadoni hinted 'Ale' was getting too old for international soccer but he has rediscovered some pace of late.
Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria, on loan from Real Madrid). Forward. Born 12.7.82. Caps 10. Goals 3.
The temperamental but mercurial forward was Roberto Donadoni's wildcard pick following a superb season back in Italy's top flight. A five-game ban for verbally abusing a referee looked to have ended his chances of a call-up.
© 2024 Rediff.com -