World Cup Record: Winners 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006
Manager: Marcello Lippi
Key Player: Andrea Pirlo
Qualified: 1st Group 8 Europe
Odds: 10/1

Defending champions and one of the undoubted heavyweights of world football, the Azzurri will once again be expecting a decent showing at the finals. Although they topped a qualifying group that included Ireland, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Montenegro and Georgia, Marcello Lippi’s team can best be described as pragmatic showing little of the flair that has marked their brand of football in the past. The retirement of Francesco Totti and Alessandro Del Piero means that most of the midfield creativity comes from AC Milan maestro Andrea Pirlo, whilst his club team-mate Gennaro Gattuso will provide the bite in the centre of the pitch. Will be interesting to see if Italy’s measured approach will be enough to see them through in South Africa.

Andrea Pirlo

Age: 30
Position: Central Midfield
Club: AC Milan (Italy – Serie A)
Caps: 64 (8 goals)

An old-fashioned central play-maker, Pirlo has a range of passing and vision that is unrivalled in Serie A. He made his debut for his local club side, Brescia in 1994 aged 16 and having broken into the first team was signed by Inter Milan in 1998. Surprisingly he didn’t settle at the Nerazzuri and after loan spells at Reggina and back to Brescia he moved to AC Milan in 2001. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti quickly transformed Pirlo from an attacking midfielder to a deeper-lying playmaker, a role which he has since made his own for both club and country. As something of a free-kick specialist, will be expected to chip in with goals from set-plays.