World Cup 2010: Italy Squad

I, for one, have never seen or heard of a time when Italy went into the World Cup as the outright favorites to win, and yet, and bizarrely so, they have won it four times. And while this squad remains as unlikely to win the World Cup 2010 as were the squads of 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006, could Lippi make even the current crop as successful as their predecessors?

Well this squad will certainly not have at their disposal, two of Italy's finest in the form of Juventus' Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti to spearhead their attack, as Lippi had to go elsewhere to hunt for options for his striking department. But he seems to be satisfied with being able to pick up Antonio Di Natale, who has been in fine form for Udinese with a happy return of 39 goals. Fiorentina's Alberto Gilardino too gets the nod after another fine season, as do Napoli's Fabio Quagliarella, Sampdoria's very highly rated Giampaolo Pazzini and Juventus' Vincenzo Iaquinta.

The midfield though looks to be Italy's strength at the World Cup 2010 as they will be able to call upon the services of AC Milan's midfield duo of Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo, along with AS Roma's leading light Daniele De Rossi. Udinese's Simone Pepe also makes the cut, as does Juventus' Mauro Camoranesi who has enjoyed a pretty good season himself.

The famed Italian defense looks unrecognizable this year without mainstay Alessandro Nesta and with captain Fabio Cannavaro will be Juventus' excellent Giorgio Chiellini who continues to be chased by several leading European clubs. It remains to be seen if young Leonardo Bonucci - who has been zipping around Italy from Inter to Treviso to Pisa to Inter again to Genoa and has yet enjoyed an excellent season with Bari in a space of 2½ seasons - gets a look in with the aforementioned two having cemented their positions at center back. With them will most probably be Milan's Gianluca Zambrotta and Napoli's Christian Maggio.

Final Squad of 23 for the World Cup 2010

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari)

Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan)

Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)

Strikers: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli)

Coach: Marcello Lippi.

Other complete World Cup 2010 squad lists.

• World Cup 2010: Argentina Squad
• World Cup 2010: England Squad

So will the reigning champions prevail again at the World Cup 2010? Watch this space for more...