Italy
Coach: Marcello Lippi
Tactics: Classic Italian game of strong defence and clever counter-attacking.
Star Player: Alessandro Nesta - dominant defender at the heart of the Azzurri's back four.
Verdict: Rarely mentioned as possible winners this time. That might suit Lippi's men as the weight of expectation can be a hindrance. Not short of quality though with a spine of Gianluigi Buffon, Nesta, Andrea Pirlo and the rapidly-emerging Luca Toni. Always tough to beat and Lippi is used to success after a trophy-laden spell at Juventus.
Ten things you didn’t know about Italy
1. They omit number 13 from their lottery because of superstition.
2. It is an offence in the city of Milan to walk about without a smile on your face unless you are visiting someone in hospital or are going to a funeral.
3. In medieval Italy kisses weren't taken, or given, lightly. If a man and a woman were seen embracing in public they could be forced to marry.
4. It is illegal to be a prostitute in Siena, Italy, if your name is Mary.
5. In Milan, Italy, when an operator dialled a wrong number, the phone company fined the operator.
6. A survey in 2003 of young people in Italy found their heroes were not pop stars or footballers, but Mother Teresa and the Pope.
7. All gondolas in Venice, Italy must be painted black, unless they belong to a high official.
8. In Italy, it is illegal to make coffins out of anything except nutshells or wood.
9. A new Italian study has shown that couples with TV's in their bedrooms have sex half as much as couples who do not.
10. Norwegian pop group A-ha only managed to reach number 17 in Italy with mega album Hunting High And Low.
Italy player profiles
Goalkeepers
Gianluigi Buffon
Made his debut for Italy in October 1997 aged 19. Currently playing for Juventus, Buffon has 75 Italy caps (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: January 28, 1978
Height: 1.91m (6ft 3in)
Fact: Buffon signed for a world-record fee of £33 million to Juventus in 2001.
Angelo Peruzzi
Made his debut for Italy in March 1995, against Estonia, aged 25. Currently playing for Lazio, Peruzzi has 42 Italy caps (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: February 16, 1970
Height: 1.81m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Peruzzi quit the national team after his many injuries but four years later returned to back up Gianluigi Buffon.
Marco Amelia
Made his debut for Italy in November 2005, against Holland, aged 23. Currently playing for Livorno, Amelia has 3 Italy caps (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: April 2, 1982
Height: 1.90m (6ft 3in)
Fact: Italy's third-choice 'keeper this summer, Amelia is yet to keep a clean sheet for his country.
Defenders
Fabio Cannavaro
Made his debut in January 1996, against Wales, aged 22. Currently playing for Juventus, Cannavaro has 97 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: September 13, 1973
Height: 1.75m (5ft 8in)
Fact: Cannavaro played alongside his younger brother Paolo at Parma for two years before joining Inter Milan in 2002.
Alessandro Nesta
Made his debut for Italy in October 1996, against Moldova, aged 20. Currently playing for AC Milan, Nesta has 89 caps and 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: March 19, 1976
Height: 1.87m (6ft 1in)
Fact: At the beginning of his career Nesta played as a forward and in midfield before finding his true talent in defence.
Gianluca Zambrotta
Made his debut for Italy in February 1999, against Norway, aged 21. Currently playing for Juventus, Zambrotta has 55 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: February 19, 1977
Height: 1.81m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Although Zambrotta is a left-back, he played right midfield for Juventus in the 2002-2003 season, when he won his second championship medal with the side.
Marco Materazzi
Made his debut for Italy in April 2001, against South Africa, aged 27. Currently playing for Inter Milan, Materazzi has 39 caps and has scored 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth:August 19, 1973
Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in)
Fact: Materazzi's father is Giuseppe Materazzi, former coach of Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Cristian Zaccardo
Made his debut for Italy in October 2004, against Slovenia, aged 22. Currently playing for Palermo, Zaccardo has 17 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: December 21, 1981
Height:1.82m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Zaccardo scored one goal in the 2001 season, and one in the 2002 season for Bologna. Both goals were scored on the same day (December 22) against the same team (Lazio), in the same stadium (Stadio Olimpico).
Massimo Oddo
Made his debut for Italy in August 2002 aged 26. Currently playing for Lazio, Oddo has 30 caps and has scored 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: June 14, 1976
Height:1.82m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Oddo's father Francesco was a former player and manager.
Andrea Barzagli
Made his debut for Italy in November 2004, against Finland, aged 23. Currently playing for Palermo, Barzagli has 7 caps and scored 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: May 8, 1981
Height: 1.86m (6ft 1in)
Fact: Barzagli was a member of the Italian team that won bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games.
Fabio Grosso
Made his debut for Italy in April 2003, against SwItzerland, aged 25. Currently playing for Palermo, Grosso has 14 caps and scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: November 28, 1977
Height: 1.90m (6ft 2in)
Fact: Grosso scored his only international goal to date in a World Cup qualifier against Scotland in September 2005.
Midfielders
Mauro Camoranesi
Made his debut for Italy in February 2003, against Portugal, aged 26. Currently playing for Juventus, Camoranesi has 21 caps and scored 2 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: October 4, 1976
Height: 1.82m (5ft 9in)
Fact: Although born in Argentina, Camoranesi has Italian ancestors and decided to play for Italy.
Daniele De Rossi
Made his debut for Italy in September 2004, against Norway, aged 21. Currently playing for AS Roma, De Rossi has 15 caps and has scored 3 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: July 24, 1983
Height: 1.84m (6ft)
Fact: De Rossi was praised for his fair play by referee Mauro Bergonzi when, having scored a goal with his hand against Messina, he admitted this to the referee who reversed his decision and disallowed the goal.
Andrea Pirlo
Made his debut for Italy in September 2002, against Azerbaijan, aged 23. Currently playing for AC Milan, Pirlo has 28 caps and has scored 4 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: May 19, 1979
Height: 1.77m (5ft 9in)
Fact: Pirlo chooses to play as number 21 since this is the date of his wedding anniversary.
Simone Perrotta
Made his debut for Italy in November 2002, against Turkey, aged 25. Currently playing for AS Roma, Perrotta has 22 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: September 19, 1977
Height: 1.78m (5ft 10in)
Fact: Perrota was born in England.
Gennnaro Ivan Gattuso
Made his debut for Italy in February 2000, against Sweden, aged 22. Currently playing for AC Milan, Gattuso has 45 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: January 9, 1978
Height: 1.77m (5ft 9in)
Fact: after just ten appearances for AC Perugia, Gattuso moved to Rangers FC on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling in 1997.
Simone Barone
Made his debut for Italy in February 2004, against Czech Republic, aged 25. Currently playing for Palermo, Barone has 12 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: April 30, 1978
Height: 1.78m (5ft 10in)
Fact: A regular member of the Italian squad throughout the qualifying stages, Barone scored his only international goal to date after coming on as a half-time substitute in a friendly match against Russia in February 2005; the game finished 2-0 to Italy.
Francesco Totti
Made his debut for Italy in October 1998, against Switzerland, aged 22. Currently playing for AS Roma, Totti has 54 caps and has scored 8 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: September 27, 1976
Height: 1.80m (5ft 10in)
Fact: Totti was Italy's Player of the Year in 2000 and 2003.
Strikers
Alessando Del Piero
Made his debut for Italy in March 1995, against Estonia, aged 20. Currently playing for Juventus, Del Piero has 86 caps and has scored 26 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: November 9, 1974
Height:1.73m (5ft 9in)
Fact: Del Piero is the all-time top goal scorer for Juventus, since surpassing previous record-holder Giampiero Boniperti's 182 goals for the club in January 2006.
Alberto Gilardino
Made his debut for Italy in September 2004, against Norway, aged 22. Currently playing for AC Milan, Gilardino has 16 caps and 6 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: July 5, 1982
Height: 1.84m (6ft)
Fact: Gilardino was voted best Italian player and best overall player in the 2004-2005 season.
Luca Toni
Made his debut for Italy in August 2004, against Iceland, aged 27. Currently playing for Fiorintina, Toni has 19 caps and has scored 7 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: May 26, 1977
Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in)
Fact: Toni scored a hat-trick for Italy in a 2006 World Cup qualifier against Belarus.
Filippo Inzaghi
Made his debut for Italy in June 1997, against Brazil, aged 23. Currently playing for AC Milan, Inzaghi has 48 caps and has scored 21 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: August 9, 1973
Height: 1.81m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Inzaghi was recalled to the squad in early 2006 following a three-year absence from the national side; Inzaghi, whose brother Simone has also represented Italy at senior international level, is a veteran of the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.
Vincenzo Iaquinta
Made his debut for Italy in March 2005, against Iceland, aged 25. Currently playing for Udinese, Iaquinta has 5 caps and has scored 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: November 21, 1979
Height: 1.86m (6ft 1in)
Fact: Iaquinta's 13 goals in 31 games for Udinese in 2004-2005 helped his club finish in fourth place in the league and earn a spot in the Champions League for the first time ever.