Defending champions Italy are synonymous with World Cup glory and regardless of how they’re perceived, they always feel that they have what it takes to win any trophy. There have been more talented Italian sides to have gone and represented their country in World Cup competition, but that’s what was said about the 2006 side and they returned home as world champions. Italian fans would rather forget about last year’s Confederations Cup when they were first defeated by Egypt 1-0, then given a footballing lesson by Brazil when they were soundly beaten 3-0.
Italy boast four world cup triumphs including two of the first three competitions: 1934 and 1938. What followed was an enormous barren spell for one of the world’s great footballing nations. In the eight world cups that followed their 1938 success, they were knocked out in the first round five times and failed to qualify for the only time in their history in 1958 (they did not enter the 1930 competition). The 1982 side came to Spain under a cloud of match fixing allegations against players such as Paolo Rossi. They started poorly with three draws before springing into life, making it to the final where they defeated West Germany 3-1. Rossi was the star of the tournament, finishing as top scorer. The 1990 and 1994 finals were to end in penalty shootout misery for the Italians. They hosted the 1990 competition, but exited at the semi final stage 4-3 on penalties to Argentina. In 1994, they went one step further, only to lose their nerve again, this time to Brazil with Roberto Baggio blazing his kick over the bar after having had a memorable tournament.
The 2006 finals was strikingly similar to the 1982 tournament for Italy as once again match fixing scandals followed the Azzurri to the World Cup. Once again they were to band together and claim the ultimate prize. They impressed in the group stage, convincingly beating Ghana and the Czech Republic to top Group E. An injury time penalty by Francesco Totti saw off Australia in the last 16. They easily beat the Ukraine and then overcame the host nation Germany in the semi final. In the final, their match with France was as memorable for the Zidane-Materazzi incident as for the game itself. A tense affair reached a penalty shootout climax after ending 1-1. Unlike in previous years however, the Italians held their nerve as all five players scored with their kicks.
Italy had a few scary moments in the qualifying competition as the plucky Irish team pushed them hard, but they succeeded in securing their place on the plane to South Africa with a game to spare following a late equalizer against the Irish in Dublin.
Italian teams have been criticized for negative tactics and cynical play on occasion, but they will state that they end justifies the means and their World Cup performances since 1982 would back that up. Once again, they are not a fancied team and it appears that the squad they could be sending to South Africa are amongst the least experienced Italian sides to ever represent the nation. Nonetheless, they still have warriors like Fabio Cannavaro, Genaro Gattuso and the gifted Andrea Pirlo. Most importantly, they have a winning mentality and they will not be an easy side for anyone to beat in the World Cup, particularly once they make the knockout stages where they are past masters.