Italy
Features news coverage of Italy and its players, including match reports and general football news.
The return of ‘Il Divin Codino’ – Roberto Baggio
Every football fan remembers their first childhood hero. The reason they fell in love with the beautiful game and quiet often the main factor that determined what football club they began to support. That player for yours truly, was Roberto Baggio and with the return to Calcio this week of ‘Il Divin Codino’ the feelings…
A look back at Italy’s 2010 World Cup
In what can only be seen as an incredible fall from grace, it is unbelievable how over a period of four years, the 2006 World Cup Champions have gone from producing stunning displays of disciplined and tactically sound football, to finishing bottom of their group and becoming only the second defending champions to be knocked…
Samba No More!
One overwhelming question has stuck with me since the completion of the World Cup. Is it possible to do it “samba style” anymore? Not since ’86, when Maradona dazzled the crowd, have we witnessed a team win the World Cup by playing free-flowing, attacking football. Even Brazil, who invented “samba style”, have not been there…
World Cup News: Holland Vs Brazil Will Be Rubbish, Just Ask Bert!
Morning all, and welcome to the daily World Cup column on Soccerlens. Withdrawal symptoms are well and truly setting in now after two whole days spent stranded in the non-football wilderness, with only the bloody tennis to take it’s place – I tell you, a sport populated by monosyllabic Scotsmen and brawny eastern European women…
Cesare Prandelli: “The Italian shirt isn’t mine or yours but belongs to everyone.”
Cesare Prandelli was presented today in Rome as the new Italy boss after the South African embarrassment. Mr. Prandelli had been named to succeed Marcello Lippi before the tournament. He spent the last five years as the manager of ACF Fiorentina and today signed a four-year contract with the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). His first…
Kobe Bryant: “I love soccer since the time I was a boy.”
Kobe Bryant has an interesting history that many fans might not know. His father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, played professional basketball in Italy where Kobe spent his formative years. Kobe grew up playing soccer and basketball. But his passion for soccer/Italian calcio never left him. He actively supports FC Barcelona and AC Milan. On Saturday night…
Puma Tekkies World Cup Sneakers
After writing about the Adidas Kick TR shoes, the world-cup themed sneakers from Adidas, I’ve found something even cooler for you sneaker freaks out there! The Puma Tekkies are a series of football themed shoes, which attempt to portray world cup participant countries creatively on something you can take with you every day. They are…
World Cup Podcast: England v Germany, the Art of Man Marking and Honda heroics
Check out the latest pint size Soccerlens World Cup Podcast with Adrian Clarke & Iain Spragg. The two journalists study the tactical strengths and weaknesses of England and Germany ahead of their winner takes all clash in Bloemfontein on Sunday, rate Japan and Italy‘s contrasting displays, as well as taking a look at the best…
Gattuso: “Italian football has to examine its conscience.”
Earlier, I translated candid post-match comments by Marcello Lippi. In the aftermath of Italy’s elimination from the World Cup, here are additional quotes from notable Azzurri players. Fabio Cannavaro has not provided a statement at the time of this writing. This was the first Italian exit at the group phase of the World Cup since…
“They had terror in their legs, heads and hearts… I didn’t prepare them well.” – Marcello Lippi
Italy became only the fourth defending champion to exit at the group round phase (Italy in 1950, Brazil in 1966, France in 2002) after a humiliating South African experience. The Azzurri lacked balance, creativity, organization and urgency. Paraguay wins the group and Slovakia finishes in second. New Zealand leaves South Africa with their heads held…
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