Perusing the Italian squad earlier, I noticed something odd: people in their early 20's. In fact there were 7 seven! players 25 or under in Marcello Lippi's squad, which made me think perhaps this Italy squad was, dare I say, young (comparison and all that). Therefore I hacked out the average age of the Azzurri and came up with 28.

On behalf of the Italy Offside, I'd like to congratulate Ronaldinho on his pregnancy. He looks about 4 months in. Can't wait to see him walking around the pitches of Serie A come August.

Various Serie A news from the day:

- Happy Birthday Antonio Cassano! Fantantonio turns 28 today.

After missing out on Euro 2012, the FIGC decided to put in a bid for Euro 2016, the first European Championship that will have 24 teams instead of the usual 16. The bid included new stadiums in many cities across Italy (and some simply being renovated) and many saw Italy hosting Euro 2016 as the only way we'd see some new stadiums around the peninsula.

While all eyes are typically on the pitch during a World Cup game, we all know that there's usually one roving cameraman whose job it is to seek out the prettiest fangirl in the crowd so her face (or whatever's most prominent) can be splashed onto screens around the globe in between moments of play.

Marco's indicating how many times he's had sex since finding out he was called up to play for the Azzurri. Like we need him to count them for us. Pull-ease.

Valentina and Gianluca Zambrotta
If Brazil is a factory of footballers, Italy is a factory of beautiful women. With all due respect to every other country in the world, of course.
Valentina Zambrotta, wife of former Juventus and Barcelona man Gianluca Zambrotta is an eye-catching site.

The name "Giuseppe Rossi" makes American soccer fans shake their head in disgust and Italian fans smile in anticipation. The 23 year old striker has made the Italian national team provisional roster and, even if he is only a reserve in this World Cup, he will likely star on future Azzurri clubs that will need an infusion of youth.

Nella foto potete osservare quella che sar la "umile" dimora degli azzurri in Sudafrica, durante i Mondiali di calcio ormai prossimi (si partir , infatti, l'11 giugno prossimo).
Si tratta, in realt , del favoloso Leriba Lodge, albergo extralusso situato sulla riva del fiume Hennops, a circa 16 chilometri da Pretoria e a 40 dalla splendida Johannesburg.

Today, Alex Morgan saved the collective ass of the US Women's National Team. The Californian super-sub drew blood from Italy in the last breath of this crucial match, stepping onto the field in the 85th minute and scoring in the 94th. The two-game play-off with the Azzurri is the last chance for both teams to qualify for the 2011 World Cup.

This one looks like the real deal folks. In September leaks of the Italy 2010 FIFA World Cup Puma...
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I don't have complicated relationships with any players." The words of Marcello Lippi. As the 2010 World Cup is quickly approaching Marcello Lippi will need to finalize his squad. Will it be flamboyant Cassano or the Rookie Balotelli? Maybe neither. Do Nesta and Totti come out of retirement to help the Azzurri to .

Back in the fall of 09 Serie A Weekly got the lead on the new jersey design but there was still doubt it would be the official version. Several days ago we learned it was so Joe and here are the...
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I didn't get to see most of the Italy-Cameroon game live yesterday. I was on my way to New York City instead (I'm a New Jersey native, home from college on spring break). PUMA was having their official unveiling of the Azzurri's new World cup jerseys, and when Daryl passed along the invite, I couldn't resist.

And speaking about his future, the national team manager stressed: "Abete already knows what I'll be doing after South Africa." Ancelotti a candidate: the president of the Football Federation is pinning his hopes on the Chelsea manager now that that Prandelli is no longer in the frame. On the battle for the scudetto he commented: "This is what's great about football.

Any match involving Brazil is a must-see. (Getty Images)

I know these lists have been out since December but honestly I have to add my own (you all know I'm a list guy). I know personally I won't get to see every single match in this World Cup. For that to happen I'd have to take a vacation and add another DVR to the home TV.

The rumours Severus Snape will play Andrea Pirlo are simply not true

There is no Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Pirlo, and Mauro Camoranesi to look up to in the match against New Zealand.

But Marcelo Lippi is not looking for excuses.

"We have everything to lose.

The most boring group has given us the most exciting moments in the Cup so far. If you haven't seen it already, check out the goal by Quagliarella (I found some links but they get deleted pretty soon so no point in posting them). It's difficult to describe because the beauty is in its simplicity. All the talk about problems with the ball goes out of the window when you see such precision.

"Goodbye in Italian." How do you say that in the native tongue of Italy? After today's disastrous end to Italy's 2010 World Cup campaign, you may want to remember the word "addio" as in goodbye World Cup 2010.

To think that the two finalists for the 2006 World Cup Final are both out in the first round of the 2010 World Cup is unbelievable.

The World Cup just ended and we have friendlies and Euro qualifying soon... but almost nothing in the meantime. The players are all on vacation, getting ready for preseason training soon with their clubs, and Prandelli is thinking and thinking about what players to use. But for now, gli azzurri [read more]

La rivoluzione azzurra è iniziata. In attesa di scoprire sul campo, nell'amichevole del 10 agosto prossimo contro la Costa d'Avorio, come si presenter , l'Italia di Cesare Prandelli è gi nata ed è composta, al suo interno, da tanbte facce nuove e tanti calciatori che non hanno vissuto l'era Lippi e quella Lippi bis per motivi più o meno condivisibili.

First of, apologizes on my part. Summer was extremely busy, worked 2 jobs and took classes. Just got back to college last week and am finally settled in. With Julian not around, here's a little update on what's what with the Azzurri. [read more]

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. women left it late, but in the end got a win and a valuable away goal, defeating Italy 1-0 in Padova. Alex Morgan scored in stoppage time to send the U.S. back to Chicago with the edge.

While the U.S. did well to limit Italy's chances on the offensive end -- the Azzurri registered no shots on goal for the game -- they were inefficient in creating good scoring opportunities of their own, save for Morgan's last-gasp winner.

The new Italy home shirt for the 2010 World Cup hasn't officially been unveiled yet, but the above photograph shows a close-up of how the modern Puma shirt looks.

The new Italy soccer jersey is blue with red, white and green accent colors. The Azzurri shirt features a unique and trendy collar design with two different v-necks cut into the collar of the shirt.

The Old Lady of Italian football was humiliated 0-3 by struggling Udinese this weekend, making it 12 losses and 47 goals against in 32 serie A matches this season. After this latest embarrassment, the formerly powerful and prestigious Juventus FC apologized to millions of fans and began a 'silenzio stampa' (no media interviews until further notice).

Marcello Lippi announced the provisional Italian national team roster today on the FIGC website (official website notice here, Goal.com English summary here). Few controversies were expected, as the Italian squad won the last World Cup and looked to return most of that roster. There were however a few items of note:

• AS Roma stars Francesco Totti and Luca Toni were not on the 30-man roster.

From Football Italia:

Italy boss Marcello Lippi has cut Fabio Grosso and Antonio Candreva from his World Cup squad ahead of Sunday's training camp in Sestriere.

Grosso's exclusion is something of a surprise as he is widely regarded as one of the players Lippi trusts the most.

The 32-year-old left-back scored the winning penalty in the World Cup Final against France four years ago.

Hola there, Italia-Bros and Azzurri-Hos! It's your boy Gio here, writing my World Cup diary. Now, I signed on to do this last month, when that weak-ass Marcello Lippi and I were tighter than ...

Despite winning their UEFA qualifying group, the defending world champions' Italy have failed to impress since winning the 2006 World Cup. Many will point to history in warning against reading too much into the Italian's results, while others will point to the squad's age as a reason to think a different type of history will be made in South Africa.

An ESPN interview with some of the Italian national team players shows that not even the squad seems to know who will be on the pitch on Sunday when they kick off versus Paraguay. Marcello Lippi has been tight-lipped about who will start and what formation the Azzurri will play, even noting that the formation could be fluid throughout the World Cup.

Credit Football Italia:

"I respect the scepticism around Italy, but I don't share it. I have no doubts we are ready for our debut" against Paraguay, said Marcello Lippi.The Azzurri begin the defence of their 2006 World Cup trophy in Cape Town on Monday evening, but few tip them as favourites.

Happy day for those in Orange

We kept waiting for a day like today. Waiting for what seemed like more than three days, but we finally got a few matches where we can say that's a bit shocking.

The day didn't start off with one as the Netherlands defeated Denmark 2-0 behind an own goal and an opportunisitc goal from Dirk Kuyt.

Dopo aver assistito, ieri sera, all'esordio degli azzurri di Marcello Lippi che hanno impattato per 1 a 1, in rimonta, contro il Paraguay, oggi alle 13 e 30 si completa il Girone F con l'incontro tra la Nuova Zelanda e la Slovacchia di Hamsik.

By Mirko Corli, writing from Torino

19 million Italians had been watching Italy's opening match against Paraguay last night, official TV data say.

Everyone has probably seen his or her own match, but my opinion is that we are making things far too much complicated.

The biggest "win" in New Zealand soccer history was also a major victory for the Italian national team.

Slovakia was the better club for ninety minutes today, taking a 1-0 lead over New Zealand early in the second half on a goal by Robert Vittek. The All Whites, who looked like a club playing in their first World Cup in decades, hung tough but could not find an equalizer until Shane Smeltz sent in a cross which Winston Reid headed past Jan Mucha in the third minute of stoppage time.

The Azzurri have played their first match, and while some will view the 1-1 draw result as a bad thing, the match was actually filled with positives for Italy. Although we've seen Germany demolish Australia 4-0, I think that the Azzurri match was unique, it finally felt like I was watching a World Cup match.

By now you have undoubtedly heard about the injury to Gigi Buffon and his questionable status for the remainder of the World Cup. Reading between the lines of the statements coming out of the Italian camp it looks like possibly the best keeper in the world could actually miss the entire World Cup.

By now you have undoubtedly heard about the injury to Gigi Buffon and his questionable status for the remainder of the World Cup. Reading between the lines of the statements coming out of the Italian camp it looks like possibly the best keeper in the world could actually miss the entire World Cup.

By Darshan Joshi, writing from Australia

If you know what a ‘Dutch Book' is, in it's economic (as well as gambling) translation, then you'd realise that this is not what this is about. It is more of a literal ‘taking a page out of their book' rather than a witty, schizophrenic banderole.

Italy's second round exit at the hands of South Korea in the 2002 World Cup saw the Azzurri's chickens come home deliciously to roost. Offside decisions may have played their part but after decades of shirt pulling for both club and country, an Italian player was finally penalized; it being significant that this would be at the highest stage.

Things are falling apart for our beloved Azzurri, similar to our fellow 2006 finalists, but definitely not as bad. Below is some news, Summary: Marchisio is against Lippi, Pepe and Lippi had a little disagreement, and Marcello thinks that these two games were just a warm up and "The World Cup starts now.