Fútbolita

So obviously, Uncle Fester Galliani masterminded the whole Ibra to Milan transfer, and the man himself arrived last night at the Milan-Lecce game. Basically, the oldies in the team like SuperPippo said “NO, GRAZIE!” to their new teammate by doing well in that 4-0 victory. The other three goals came from the Brasileiros, e claro! Two from Pato and his Badass face, and one from Thiago Silva (or as our amiga says, “T.I. Silva”). So why do they need Ibra, again?!

And apparently, the Interistis don’t really care about Ibra going back to the ‘other team’. But you’ll only know the truth when the Milan derby takes place and everybody starts burning the stadium seats again and/or sending empty pasta packets to Moratti’s office, which will make him really pissed.

via Reuters/AFP

So it looks like Italy have solved the Big Amauri Problem… simply by fielding him! Come on, Menezes obviously didn’t have Robin Hood in his sights, so it was really down to Cesare Prandelli to pick and choose. Unfortunately, Italy lost the a 1-0 friendly to Ivory Coast but who says you have to be all negative in the face of defeat?

“I am playing in one of the top national teams in the world. Of course they want to get back up there and I’ll work hard to stay in the squad, as one cap isn’t enough for me!” he said.

He added: “It’s wonderful playing alongside Balotelli and Cassano; I hope we can do it many more times. They’re fantastic players and once we find the right movements, we can do something spectacular. Everything is fun with those two, on and off the field, so they contribute to the enthusiasm around the side.”

It was a good Italy but not enough to win the match.
The match showed a team with double face: by one side all team played well, maybe it deserved more and also new players wanted to show everybody their talent (like Pepe and Montolivo). On the other side there were 2 problems: the first one is the difficulty to defend in free kicks or in corners and the second one is the difficulty to score….

Paraguay had one shot, unfortunately in that free kick they scored, while Italy tried more times to win the match but our forwards weren’t able to score. For sure this match was the most difficult one for the Azzurri in the group F, so the draw I think is the right result.

De Rossi was the protagonist of the match. The gladiator (as people call him in Rome) scored in the second half time, after his mistake in the first half time during the free kick in which Paraguay scored. He is considered a leader of the team, also because he was part of the group that won the world cup four years ago.

De Rossi was the protagonist of the night, but the man of the match was absolutely Pepe. He is one of new players that coach Lippi chose to bring in South Africa and I can say that he didn’t disappoint our expectations. He ran for the entire match, he did the assist for De Rossi’s goal and he did dribblings…I think he will play the next match because he’s very talented.

A bad news by our goalkeeper Buffon. Yestarday he injured after the first half time and doctor told that he didin’t know when he could play again…I hope soon because Buffon is our symbol and he’s very strong!
Good news by Andrea Pirlo: for sure he will come back to play in the match against Slovakia. He will help our forwards to score!

Despite of the draw I’m confident for the next match…After all we are the World Champions!!!

This is a video of people united in front of a huge screen during the goal of De Rossi in Rome.

FORZA AZZURRI!!!
Signing off,
Futbolita Italia

Will Italy be able to defend the title of  World Champion? I hope so!

Today Italy plays against Paraguay. This match will be an important test for the Azzurri that want to show that they are still alive! The World Champions, especially coach Lippi, continue to be criticized by Italian press because they are considered too old for this competition, meanwhile bookmakers consider Italy as the winner of the match against Paraguay.

Skepticism reigns in Italy, but this situation is very similar to the 2006 one, when Italian football was involved into Calciopoli. But that scandal was the essential ingredient that brings Italy to win the World Cup. The spirit of the group, all players felt united and this helped them to reach the final victory 4 years ago!

I think that it’s very very difficult to repeat for the Azzurri, because people change, players get older and new young players can pay their inexperience in this kind of competition. Also there were disputes in my country due to Lippi’s choices…For example, everybody wanted in our national team players like Balotelli, Cassano, Ambrosini, Miccoli and Cossu instead of Cannavaro, Camoranesi, Gattuso, Zambrotta, Iaquinta that played very bad this year and they didn’t deserve to go to South Africa.

However, all Italians are waiting for today to watch the World Champions in their first match against a difficult team as Paraguay. De Rossi will play, while Pirlo is still injured…So the 11 Azzurri that will probably play are: BUFFON (goalkeeper), ZAMBROTTA-CANNAARO-CHIELLINI-BOCCHETTI (defense), DE ROSSI-MONTOLIVO-MARCHISIO (midfield), PEPE-PAZZINI-IAQUINTA ( forward), coach LIPPI.

It’s time to play……..FORZA AZZURRI!!!!

Signing off,
Your Italia Futbolita

Say ‘ciao’ to Verdiana Vetrano, our official Futbolita del Mundo from Italy! The die hard fan of the Rossoneri is also studying intercultural communications in Milan to pursue her dream as a sports journalist. “I am a Futbolita because I love football, I live for it and I hope to find a job that supports my passion,” she said. Tutto bene, we say!

FORZA ITALIA!

“I love Italy and also I love my city of Milan! I would never change my city and my country because it’s the place I belong to. My national football team is unique because we are the world champions and because we have good players that are known and famous in the world.”

“Football is the main sport in Italy. Most part of people follows this sport all year. When there is World cup in Milan (but also in other cities) there are huge screens in the main squares to watch the matches, to sing, to support our team together and if Italy wins, after the match all of people go to celebrate in pubs and in the streets.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN…

“My passion for football began when I was a child. My mother bought me AC Milan’s player cards everyday and for this reason I became an AC Milan fan, while my father is a FC Internazionale supporter and I wanted to oppose him just for fun. When I was 11, I was impressed by 3 players of AC Milan: George Weah (Golden ball 1995), Leonardo and Oliver Bierhoff. When they scored, I was the happiest girl in the world because they were my idols.

“With them, AC milan won the Scudetto in 1999. My first match in San Siro was a special day and now I can’t stop going there when Milan plays. I don’t miss any match, I’m always present and never absent.

ITALY’S CHANCES OF WINNING…

“I love my national team, but I think that this year the chances to win the World Cup are not high because our players are too old and they gave their best in Germany world cup in 2006. Italy’s coach Lippi doesn’t want to call up players as Balotelli, Cassano, Miccoli and Ambrosini.. they are very strong and they would help our team to win, but it’s too late because he made his decisions.For this reason I think that we won’t win.”

ABOUT AC MILAN…

“My AC Milan favourite players of the past are Weah, Leonardo and Bierhoff. In recent years, years my idols are Shevchenko and Kakà (favourite players ever) and now Pato!! I met Shevchenko, Pato and Leonardo…but I would like to meet Kakà one more time to thank him for 6 wonderful years in AC Milan because with him we won everything. I want also to tell him to come back to AC Milan because we are his real fans, we love him and Milan is the place he belongs to.”

“I’m very excited to represent Italy on futbolita and I’m looking forward to the world cup to watch all games and to write articles or news about my national team!!!”

Italy’s Fútbolita Verdiana is wearing the Cultzeros/Futbolita Buffon World Cup Tee
ALL PHOTOS © Verdiana Vetrano

A few weeks ago, our friend from Jo’burg told us how he’d be staying at home during the World Cup! Now our question is… ¿para qué mano?! You’ll never know whose team bus you’ll catch even if you’re deciding to take a stroll outside. Sure, there’s no way that that Italian team bus will pull over for Canna “The Thighs” Varo to enjoy a hotdog bun next to a limeade stand, but never say never!

Anyway, Johannsburg is as ready as ever for the World Cup despite the doubts many people have about their safety issues. Still, there’s no denying these huge billboards. Qué emocionante!

Photos via Globoesporte/Thiago Lavinas

Bom dia! It’s officially 24 days to the World Cup and we’re thrilled to tell you that our futbolitas from various parts of the world are getting ready to go muy alocado! And in this interesting shop in South Africa, wooden puppets of players called ‘Soccer Men’ are being sold to fans! We can’t really tell who’s who in that photo above but you can bet that the middle dude is probably Robinho.

Anyway, if you’re heading to South Africa and you’d like to bring one of these home (or along with you on one of those Sunday strolls), be prepared to fork out at least $76.

Oh verdammt! What are we to do? Ballackwurst has been officially ruled out of the World Cup, which is a huge blow to Die Mannschaft. As captain, he must be pretty sad to be left out.. although this reminds us of the 2002 Japan/South Korea Final match against Brazil, which he had to sit out as well.

“After the diagnosis of national team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt today, a complete healing of the injury is expected. Ballack’s return to training is possible at the earliest in eight weeks,” announced the German Football federation.

Announced Joachim Low : “The good news is that nothing is broken. But he has a lot of pain and is restricted in his movement. We need clarity but we obviously hope the injury proves to be nothing serious. Michael is our captain and one of our leading players.”

Here’s an interesting portrait photo of Gigi Buffon, painted by Elliot Quince, who is a “football mad illustrator”. Sure, Gigi’s beady eyes look like jelly beans but we love it all the same. Elliot has hand-painted 32 portraits for the Copa del Mundo in aid of a hospital in London which cared for his daughter last May. To see more of the Got Got Got Need campaign and to find out more about his exhibition taking place next month, click here!

via Reuters, Globoesporte, Got Got Got Need & Fifa

There’s something about Iaquinta that kinda reminds you of the Pippo Inzaghi “cool uncle” type. Yes, the sort who listens to Tokio Hotel in order to better fit in with his nieces! Nevertheless, if he had some, they’d be proud of his performance against Bari yesterday where he scored a double. Lippi would’ve taken notes… except Iaquinta has already won the World Cup, va bene!

Anyway, the Italian pressies are getting overexcited again because apparently Zaccheroni and Prince Piero had a heated “clash” during the game. “There is nothing to clarify,” insisted Zac. “We are two civil people. There was a bit of distance between us, so we had to raise our voices to make sure we were heard.”

Did you HEAR that?! They had to raise their voices!

via Gettyimages

THIS is what we call Italian football passione! Of course, following Roma’s 2-1 victory over Lazio, Ranieri Doubtfire isn’t the only one they’re going to be smothering now. Mirko Vucinic, who scored two goals, is the Uomo del momento (and probably the more deserving Sunday Senor… desculpe, Cacau!) and you’d better believe it because Luca Toni does! Yes amigas, after all that merciless teasing on our part, we are now prepared to say that Awkward Luca does, in fact, deserve to be happy. There’s only so much an Italiano can take before his pride gets punctured to the ground.

Roma are now at the top of the Serie A table! So if you’re a fan… festeggiare!

via AP, Reuters

Let’s take a moment to light a candle simply because these men of Serie A are too ferosha for words and all of you are going to need Eye Drops every soon (except the hombres because Megan Fox didn’t RVSP to this!) Anyway, because they’re not exactly doing anything important these days, Uncle Galliani summoned the Rossoneri to turn up at the First Annual Champions Gala for the “Champions For Children” Foundation last night.

As always, Flamini looks like he’s completely out of it, Boriello’s Jersey Shore hair made a special appearance and Pato got himself a new blackberry! Onde está a nossa menina, Sthefany?!

via Reuters and Gettyimages

Oooh, looks like we have a case of the Forgotten Homems here at the Milan-Lazio game last night! The Dinho’s son is chomping on a hot cross bun given to him by Uncle Galliani.…  Nãooooo, ficar longe!

And yes, the Italian Stallion, Marco Boriello also scored for Milan in this 1-1 draw. Stai arrossendo? abbastanza! (You’re blushing? stop it!)

via AFP

We’ve been calling him Mickey Mouse Becks for a long time, but the poor mano tore his Achilles tendon last night and has been ruled of the World Cup. For that, we are lighting candles today and sending Oreos with hugs. Oh dios, Becks really wanted to go South Africa. Qué día tan triste!

“In cases (of the) rupture of the Achilles tendon, players go at least five or six months without playing. He is out of the tournament. Tomorrow Beckham will travel to Finland, where he will be operated on,” declared Uncle Fester Galliani.

On a slightly more positive note, Milan won the game 1-0, although they clearly should have done better.

For a moment, we thought that the Senora on the extreme right was The Nereida of your dreams – but of course, Palermo are not that desperate of a club to cast her, are they? No matter, she’s too busy making heads roll at Paris Fashion Week… near the buffet table, of course!

Anyway, instead of forcing the likes of Fabrizio Miccoli to parade down the flanks wearing their new kits, the Italian side left it to our fellow futbolitas to do the job instead. Ben fatto! It looks like what my friend’s nonna would wear to sleep, but whatever… you cheeky tipos are already ordering it off the Palermo website!

Don’t you think that Signore Borriello is a carbon copy of Roberto Baggio from that angle? Naturally, all he needs to do is to grow out that hair and he can start to make special appearances at the flower festival with it! Mamma mia, could these two be long lost gemelli (twins)?

Anyway, everyone’s excited and preparing their sandwiches with more gusto now because once again, The Dinho put in an excellent performance against Bari last night! Besides Baggio’s Twin, El Pato also netted in the other penalty and also remembered to shave his Wolverine beard off. Desculpe, mas você ainda não estão na seleção…. (sorry but you are still not going to the selecao)

Speaking of the seleção, please don’t interrupt Diego and Amauri as they perform the Dança Bandeira (flag dance). Tipos were working their HIPS off as they celebrate Juve’s neat 2-1 win over Bologna last night! Who cares if they were ignored by Dopey or Lippy in their respective national teams? It was time to celebrate!

Que tal, futbolitas?!! So we’ve been working with a few ferosh fashion brands on an article, most of whom dress some of your favourite teams including AC Milan and Real Madrid. And they’ve been molto gentile to share some goodies with us – including photos from the Dolce & Gabbana-inspired Rossoneri book by Stefano Guindiani. In case you haven’t heard, it was published specifically for your Ovaries (those of you who have them – I’m sorry mah brothers, this is a chance to get your Andy-Roddick’s-Wife-Is-On-The-Cover SI Issue!) So go on now, boys and girls… have a look!

Photos via Stefano Guindani for Dolce & Gabbana

Lulu Toni has finally mustered up the courage to speak about first team spots in the Azzurri. Oh dear, that took quite a while, didn’t it, futbolitas? And does anyone really care what Luca thinks about Amauri The Addled Angel? Bambiiiii, sei noioso! Save all this for your Sunday barbecue session with Ranieri Doubtfire, per favore. There will be marshmallows….

“He chose to play for Italy only because Brazil did not pick him (gasp…. Dunga did!) In our league there are many good strikers. Not just those who play at Milan, Inter or Juve. If he is (fit) Amauri can (go) and I will try in every way (for my own spot in the national team). But I think this is an unfair situation,” cried Luca.

Speaking of Amauri, we swear that his hair is capable of kicking Jackie Chan’s ass in FIVE minutes. You know Thiago Silva has already signed the petition to ban its appearance at all Serie A Games. That thing needs go for a walk!

via Gettyimages, Sky Sport Italia

Sneaky Gennaro! We should have seen this coming from the man who eats US $73,000 snails. It was only a matter of time before your Gangsta Gattuso followed this act up by opening up “Gattuso e Bianchi”, a fish (and all things seafood related) restaurant in the Varese province (north of Milan) with his friend, Andrea Bianchi.

The place was swarmed with tifosi at its opening with fans keen to catch a glimpse of exotic crabs and clamps. Ronaldinho, David Beckham, Luca Antonini, Davide Di Gennaro, Christian Abbiati and Massimo Ambrosini and even Iaquinta all came to support their friend, who by all accounts, is obsessed with fish.

“I love fresh fish, to see it, touch it and, of course, eat it. It has been my passion since childhood and now with my friend Bianchi, I want to start this new adventure,” he declared. And with that, an amiga’s fantasy of seeing Gattuso cooking up a storm in the kitchen has been fulfilled.

So shall we, then…. head over to Chef Gattuso’s?

via Correire dello Sport, Varese

Guti has quickly transformed himself into a disgruntled Real Madrid employee (oooh, ¡caray!) after being confronted by journos last week. It’s no secret that he has fallen out of favour with tío Pellegrini, so obviously they HAD to ask the million-dollar question about leaving the club (no, not that Ibiza dance club!) Yeah, we can almost sense the pressure and it’s not looking very good.

“I would like to end my contract at Real Madrid but it is also true that I would love to be able to play for another team,” he said. “To be able to enjoy another culture, to be able to enjoy another life, other team-mates, another league. It is true that I’ve had a very nice time at Real Madrid, that Madrid is a city where I wanted to live all my life, and now I want to leave Madrid.”

Oh, how apt! The Italian Football Oscars (Oscar del Calcio) took place one day after the Golden Globes and Ibracadabra won the title of Best Footballer for 2009. In his acceptance speech, he said he “missed Italy and Mourinho” as well, but is now growing “fond of Spain” (well… duh!)

Julio Cesar – who arrived late for the ceremony – and El Pato won for Best Goalkeeper and Best Young Player respectively, to which Pato said : “We will not play in the derby!” Meanwhile, Chiellini of Juventus won for best defender (or number of times one bleeds in the game) and the Best Italian Football Player award went to Daniele de Rossi.

Check out the videos!

via Gettyimages, SportItalia

The Dinho is back! Well, that was what many futbolitas told us excitedly on Twitter and you could be right! A few days ago, we questioned this cara’s ability to make Dopey’s starting XI, which remains an open call, unless you are Uncle Pele – and even he can’t waltz into the training ground of Granja Comary whenever he pleases. TODAVIA, after his Milan hat-trick yesterday, we can officially establish that The Dinho is now working his beachy butt off to make it to South Africa.

Check this out : in their last three games, Milan have scored a staggering 12 goals – 5 of which were scored by the Brazilian. Oooooh, acredito que você pode fazer a seleção? - do you believe you can make the squad? He hasn’t played a part in any of their qualifiers and has been snubbed in recent friendlies. And yes, Dinho’s discipline simply wanes when he’s with the national team. So what’s it gonna be, Bebê?

Also, your favourite Italian Stallion, Sig. Marco Borriello also got his name on the score sheet yesterday. Lovely, we know how this one will be celebrating….