Italy

[beautifulgame]

Agree with the Metz: Veron, awesome.

I blame Fergie for his failing in Manchester.

 

[impeh]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro has announced his retirement after doctors said the Italian's injured knee would not allow him to keep playing.

Cant say ive seen him play since he was at Madird, but won the Ballon d'Or, lead Italy to the world cup.. big player over the years.

 

[Deco 20]

Wasn't that good at Madrid though. Pepe now is better than Cannavaro was.

Still awestruck as to how Ronnie didn't win the golden ball

 

[Sergio]

I see your all time best Argentine and Spanish teams, and raise you with Azzurri:

Zoff
Gentile Nesta Baresi Maldini
Pirlo Gattuso
Rivera Baggio Del Piero
Rossi​

There are better individuals for a couple positions sure, but this team, this team wins anything you can assemble from any other country.






















































Except maybe Brazil.

 

[Myrmecophile]

Brazil would obviously win an all-time battle but Italy would be 2nd imo.

 

[La Furia]

Antognoni > Pirlo

But yeah, Italy's all time team would lose in the finals to Brazil's all time team. Unless they pull an 82 style rope a dope; considering the quality of the opposition, Italy '82 was the most impressive WC win in history.

 

[Myrmecophile]

Keeping the Pirlo/Gattuso duo together would be

 

[Metaphysical]

I see your all time best Argentine and Spanish teams, and raise you with Azzurri:

Zoff
Gentile Nesta Baresi Maldini
Pirlo Gattuso
Rivera Baggio Del Piero
Rossi​

There are better individuals for a couple positions sure, but this team, this team wins anything you can assemble from any other country.

Except maybe Brazil.

definite #2 behind Brazil. there's a myriad of teams you could select. so much awesome.

 

[Sergio]

Antognoni > Pirlo

And Tardelli is better than Rino, but the point is making a functioning team, and for that no way in hell would I break up Trilli + Rino.

That said, by that token I should't have broken up the Milan back 4 of the 90's for the sake of Nesta. But its Nesta, he would just fit.

 

[FCBarca]

#7 in the latest rankings?...That's comedy gold right there...Perhaps only outdone by England at #4 or the Dutch at the top spot...Shame there are no trophies for rankings

 

[DucdeOrléans]

Rossi ruled out for 6 months. Really bad news.

Balo, Pazzini and Cassano to the rescue then.

 

[woobie]

Here's the provisional call up list for the Euros. Couple of surprises - no Matri, Osvaldo, or Pazzini. Some young talents included too - Ogbonna, Schelotto, Verratti, Borini, Destro. Di Natale, Bocchetti, and Diamanti return after not having been called up for some time.

LA LISTA DEI 32 PRE-CONVOCATI:


Portieri: Buffon (Juventus), De Sanctis (Napoli), Sirigu (Paris St. Germain), Viviano (Palermo);


Difensori: Abate (Milan), Astori (Cagliari), Balzaretti (Palermo), Barzagli (Juventus), Bocchetti (Rubin Kazan), Bonucci (Juventus), Chiellini (Juventus), Criscito (Zenit San Pietroburgo), Maggio (Napoli), Ogbonna (Torino), Ranocchia (Inter);


Centrocampisti: Cigarini (Atalanta), De Rossi (Roma), Diamanti (Bologna), Giaccherini (Juventus), Marchisio (Juventus), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Thiago Motta (Paris St. Germain), Nocerino (Milan), Pirlo (Juventus),Schelotto (Atalanta), Verratti (Pescara);


Attaccanti: Balotelli (Manchester City), Borini (Roma), Cassano (Milan), Destro (Siena), Di Natale (Udinese), Giovinco (Parma).

 

[Ode to Django]

Pirlo/De Rossi will be the best midfield next to Spain, and Di Natale how awesome, they have a chance with Pirlo playing like he is at the moment.

 

[Sergio]

Actually I don't think the chances are so great, not anymore. The difficult seasons of the main attackers - Cassano, Balotelli and of course Rossi means I think we will see a repeat of the WC problem of a lack of attacking potency. And while you have to say this is only a preliminary list, the number of Serie B/lower level Serie A and some Russian league players is a concern. When we won the WC, the squad was built around CL winning level players complimented with those of a high flying Palermo and Roma, the entire and coming from Serie A.

 

[Alissa]

No Pepe?