Unemployed Cannavaro leads champions Italy to South Africa
May 31st, 2010 - 3:45 pm ICT by IANSRome, May 31 (DPA) Without a job and with the end of a long, brilliant career looming, Fabio Cannavaro showed optimism and grit as he gears up to captain Italy in their world title defence in South Africa.
At 36, his only possible regret is to have been turned down by Napoli, the side of his native Naples where he debuted in the Serie A in 1992, while he has no certainty to remain at Juventus.
“I am a captain without a contract. The option to renew with Juventus has expired,” La Gazzetta dello Sport quoted him as saying at the Azzurri mountain camp of Sestriere.
“Going to the World Cup without a contract won’t be a problem. At my age I can handle such things. Juve in this moment have other things to consider.”
His defence of the much criticised Azzurri squad was as passionate as you would expect from a man who donned the blue jersey for a record-setting 132 times.
“(Pessimism) is part of our history. We never started as favourites, still Italy won (the World Cup) four times. Only Brazil did better (with five),” he said.
Comments on the advanced age of most Azzurri didn’t bother the captain, who noted that he won the 2006 World Cup at 33 and was 34 when in the same year he received the Golden Ball award and was named FIFA World Player.
His confidence extended to the reliability of Italy’s attack package, where “(Antonio) Di Natale was (Serie A) top scorer (on 28 goals). (Marco) Borriello, (Giampaolo) Pazzini, (Fabio) Quagliarella and (Alberto) Gilardino cannot be said not to score, and (Vincenzo) Iaquinta began scoring as soon as he recovered from injury.”
As for a defence that could have lost its solidity, Cannavaro remained upbeat.
“You’ll see it on the pitch,” he said.
Ahead of his fourth World Cup, which will close 13 years of games with the Azzurri, criticism from Italian fans truly seems to be Cannavaro’s least worry.
“We know that in case of victory we will be heroes and in case of defeat they will massacre us,” he said.
“After the World Cup I will greet my younger team mates. I don’t think that the selector will call me again (for a friendly) in August.
“Before that, however, I have a dream. Lifting again that cup as in Berlin it would be an incredible fun,” he said.
- Lippi's list of 23 Azzurri ready for World Cup - Jun 02, 2010
- New Zealand hold champs Italy to 1-1 draw (Lead) - Jun 20, 2010
- Can Italy defend the World cup tile? (Group F team profile) - May 31, 2010
- Play it again Marcello, say world champions Italy (Team Profile) - Nov 30, 2009
- Stuttering champions Italy face tough opener - Jun 13, 2010
- Buffon to extend Juventus deal - Sep 10, 2012
- Italy improve in last friendly before World Cup trip - Jun 06, 2010
- New Zealand hold champs Italy to 1-1 draw - Jun 20, 2010
- We need to invest in youth: Italy's losing captain - Jun 26, 2010
- Fabio Cannavaro to help Cambodia promote football - Jan 09, 2012
- Italian football still afloat despite lingering crisis - Aug 27, 2010
- In-form Mexico beat still unfit Italy - Jun 04, 2010
- Cannavaro 'doping' case close to being dismissed - Oct 10, 2009
- Euro 2012: Police raid casts shadow on Italian team's fate - Jun 03, 2012
- Buffon fears his World Cup could be over - Jun 16, 2010
Tags: 13 years, alberto gilardino, antonio di natale, brilliant career, criticised, fabio cannavaro, fabio quagliarella, gazzetta dello sport, giampaolo pazzini, grit, italian fans, italy won the world cup, la gazzetta dello, la gazzetta dello sport, optimism, pessimism, sestriere, solidity, title defence, top scorer