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

SHOULDERS OUT, LOOK STRAIGHT : Gilardino poses for his individual team shot! / via AFP

]]> http://futbolita.com/2010/06/02/picture-of-the-day-488/feed/ 0 http://futbolita.com/2010/05/27/verdy-vetrano-italias-official-futbolita/ http://futbolita.com/2010/05/27/verdy-vetrano-italias-official-futbolita/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 14:31:16 +0000 Ash http://futbolita.com/?p=8345

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

]]> http://futbolita.com/2010/05/27/verdy-vetrano-italias-official-futbolita/feed/ 1 http://futbolita.com/2010/05/19/joburg-welcomes-the-world/ http://futbolita.com/2010/05/19/joburg-welcomes-the-world/#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 04:16:57 +0000 Ash http://futbolita.com/?p=8266

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

]]> http://futbolita.com/2010/04/26/juves-other-robin-hood/feed/ 0 http://futbolita.com/2010/04/19/and-the-romans-go-marching-on/ http://futbolita.com/2010/04/19/and-the-romans-go-marching-on/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 04:57:25 +0000 Ash http://futbolita.com/?p=8020

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