It was a crushing group stage exit for Italy as they were defeated 1-0 by Uruguay at the Estádio das Dunas. After a promising start, beating England 2-1 on Saturday 14th June, things went downhill for Italy as they conceded a fatal goal against Costa Rica the following Friday. The team finished third in Group D and left Brazil hanging their heads in shame. This is a stark contrast from a team that has won a World Cup this century, h...More

Italy’s quest for a fifth World Cup has taken them to Brazil 2014, with a squad bursting at the seams with Scudetto winners, seasoned internationals and intriguing young talents. But, as is usually the case, some players will stand head and shoulders above their teammates. In 2006 it was Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluigi Buffon, Paolo Rossi in 1982 and, in the pre-war triumphs, the likes of Silvio Piola and Raimundo Orsi. Today’s vintage...More

Are you excited yet? Are you wearing your Italy shirt already? Started collecting stickers? Got your world cup wall chart? As much as it's possible to get cynical about the tournament and FIFA, the money that's spent on staging the competition and all the rest of it, now that we're under a month away from the kickoff in Sao Paulo, most fans will be starting to feel the excitement beginning to bubble up. Here we'll examine Italian hopes,...More

The domestic season is all but over but don’t even think about taking a break from football. The gap between the last fixtures of the season and the commencement of the World Cup is so brief that even the most ardent football addict will barely have time for withdrawal symptoms. With the announcement of the Italy squad out of the way the build up to Brazil 2014 is officially upon us and, with less than a month to go until Prandelli...More

Not many national teams can compare with Italy’s prestigious history at the World Cup, with the Azzurri preparing themselves for Brazil 2014 in the hope of adding to their four titles. A strong qualifying campaign under the guidance of Cesare Prandelli has restored faith and pride, which was severely damaged after a trouble-filled first round exit in South Africa 2010, in the national team. Italy can take great encouragement from their ...More

It might sound strange to suggest that the Serie A leaders should focus their attention away from domestic fixtures but there is more than one reason why Juventus should prioritise the Europa League during the run in to the end of the season. The Turin based side are coasting towards their thirtieth national title but why should they focus so intently on a Europe wide competition that is seen as a poor relation to the Champions League? ...More