They have done badly in their last two major tournaments, and a cloud of scandal is hanging over their domestic league, but Italy are heading for the World Cup finals in Germany with determination and confidence.
“The quality of this squad is what makes me calm,” says Marcello Lippi, who took over as coach of the azzurri after their embarrassingly early exit from the 2004 European Championship. “The tightness of the group, the desire, the respect for each other – that gives the team energy.”
