Profile
You can never rule out those Italians. After a horrid World Cup in 2010, the Azzurri were not expected to reach the final of Euro 2012. But they did just that and will be as dangerous as ever in Brazil.
Traditionally, a team that makes a slow start to World Cups, they will have to set down a marker against England in Manaus before taking on Uruguay and Costa Rica.
Progressive manager Cesare Prandelli has blended the immense experience and enduring class of the 2006 World Cup winners Gigi Buffon, Daniele De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo with the new breed of Mario Balotelli, Mattia Di Sciglio and Marco Verratti.
If Balotelli, Pirlo and co can click, Italy could go far into the competition.
Luca Ferrato analysed Italy on Team 33 with Richard Chambers and Raf Diallo:
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World Cup Record
Appearances: 18
Best Results: Winners (1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006)
Squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint-Germain)
Defenders: Ignazio Abate (Milan), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Gabriel Paletta (Parma)
Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint-Germain), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
Manager: Cesare Prandelli
Fixtures and Results
Group D
June 14 vs England (Manaus) 2 - 1 (W)
June 20 vs Costa Rica (Recife) 1 - 0 (L)
