Azzurri: All time XI

[Jager]

Dino ZOFF 1968-83
Caps 112
Three decades as Azzurri No 1, captain of the World Cup winning team and a champion of Europe in 1968, Zoff had an illustrious international career. Bowing out at 40, his 112 record caps seemed unlikely to ever be beaten until Paolo Maldini came along. His incredible run of 1,143 minutes without conceding a goal at the highest level remains unsurpassed. The former Juventus star just got better with age, due to his professionalism and physical fitness. Bossed the Azzurri to second at Euro 2000.

Gaetano SCIREA 1975-86
Caps 78 Goals 2
An international regular for over a decade, Scirea was the model libero. A player of elegance, class and agility he was above all a leader and a superb organiser of the play. Another vital member of the Juventus-inspired 1982 World Cup winning team, Scirea could break and make attacks equally comfortably. After retiring from an impressive career, he was appointed as Dino Zoff's assistant at Juventus but tragically died in a car crash while on a scouting mission in Poland.

Claudio GENTILE 1975-84
Caps 71 Goals 1
Gentile played mostly as a central defender for Juventus but, more often than not, slotted into the right-back role for the Azzurri. A genuine hard-man and an uncompromising defender, he became an international regular for almost a decade. Another member of the 1982 World Cup winning side and the all-conquering Juve of the 1980s, Gentile famously kept Diego Maradona quiet in the 1982 tournament.

Giacinto FACCHETTI 1963-77
Caps 94 Goals 3
Like Paolo Maldini, a truly great left-sided defender. Facchetti still holds the record for captaining his country a massive 70 times, including at the victorious 1968 European Championships. Facchetti was not only a great defender but noted for his forward runs, one of the first full-backs to push on and aid the attack. The tall defender also had a glorious club career winning trophies both home and abroad with Inter.

Franco BARESI 1982-94
Caps 81 Goals 1
Italy have always been blessed with great defenders and Franco Baresi is no exception. Elegant on the ball and clinical in the tackle, Baresi was recently voted the Greatest Italian Player ever. Sadly he failed to repeat the trophy-filled success of his time with Milan at international level. Baresi bowed out after his amazing performance in the 1994 World Cup Final where he played despite serious injury.

Paolo MALDINI 1988-2002
Caps 126 Goals 7
Played in a record 126 games for the Azzurri, Maldini quit international football after the shock 2002 defeat to South Korea. A Nike campaign during the 1996 European Championships revealed that: 'Paolo Maldini is Italian for No Entry,' and his reputation as one of the world's best players remains intact. The Milan great made the left-back spot his own and has become the benchmark for all aspiring defenders. Maldini never won an international trophy, suffering heartbreaking defeats in 1990, 1994 and at Euro 2000.

Giancarlo ANTOGNONI 1974-83
Caps 73 Goals 7
With so many fine defenders in this team there is no reason to suggest that Antognoni and Rivera could not play together. Still the most popular player to don the Fiorentina shirt, Antognoni enjoyed his greatest triumph at international level winning the 1982 World Cup. A midfielder of balance and vision, Antognoni is one of the finest ball players that Italy has ever produced.

Gianni RIVERA 1962-74 (First half)
Caps 60 Goals 14
A symbolic figure in the emergence of the Milan side of the 1960s, Rivera is one of the most graceful footballers Italy has ever produced. A vital component in the 1968 European Championship, Rivera would have amassed far more than 60 caps had it not been for tough competition from his great rival – Sandro Mazzola. Rivera played superbly at the World Cup Finals in 1970, only to be dropped for the Final itself.

Sandro MAZZOLA 1964-74 (Second half)
Caps 70 Goals 22
Having to choose between Gianni Rivera and Sandro Mazzola was a perennial headache for Italy Coach Ferruccio Valcareggi in the late 1960s. It was difficult to play both creative stars in the same team, so they often played a half each. The Inter great eventually won more caps than Rivera, and started the 1970 World Cup Final against Brazil.

Bruno CONTI 1980-84
Caps 47 Goals 5
Conti may have won fewer caps than most members of this team, but almost all were memorable. The Roma stalwart gave the side much needed balance and his ability to create and take chances from midfield was vital. Conti was one of the star performers in the World Cup of 1982.

Roberto BAGGIO 1988-04
Caps 56 Goals 27
The Divine Ponytail is genuinely the most popular Italian footballer of the 1990s. Emerging at the 1990 World Cup, Baggio’s flair captivated supporters. At the World Cup in 1994 he single-handedly helped an average Italy side to the Final, despite an uneasy relationship with Coach Arrigo Sacchi. Strangely, Baggio has never played in a European Championship but did again feature for his country at the 1998 World Cup under Cesare Maldini. A useful scorer and inspiration for teammates.

Gigi RIVA 1965-74
Caps 42 Goals 35
Italy’s record scorer has an amazing strike-rate for his country. Although Riva was not a conventional centre-forward, as he often started from the left-hand side, his instinct for an opportunity set him apart from contemporaries. The Cagliari legend would have made more than his 42 caps had it not been for a serious broken leg which ended his playing career. A winner of the 1968 European Championship and a key component for the World Cup runners-up of 1970.

Enzo BEARZOT 1977-86
Although Vittorio Pozzo took Italy to World Cup wins in 1934 and 1938, Bearzot deserves to assume the role of Coach of this star-studded side. Much criticised going into the 1982 World Cup, he managed to steer the Azzurri to the title having born the fruits of moulding a settled group of players from the late 70s. Bearzot bowed out after 88 internationals and after the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico.

http://www.channel4.com/sport/footba...e/italyxi.html

[CantonaStillGod]

Load of bollocks, what about the players from the world cup winning Italy teams pre WW2?

[bludhaven]

May I make a suggestion...I'd like to add Giuseppe Meazza and Roberto Pruzzo to this list

[z187]

Originally Posted by CantonaStillGod

Load of bollocks, what about the players from the world cup winning Italy teams pre WW2?

I was going to ask the same thing, but sadly pre WW2 footballers dont get much praise becuase there wasnt TV back then and we dont know much about them other then goals

although the coach Pozzo and Giuseppe Meazza are surely deserving of spots.

What about the 2006 winning team? would any of them deserve a spot on this list? its a pretty tough one to break

for me, the best italian players ive seen in my life was Baggio! maldini and baresi

alot of italy's greatest players never had the privlidge of winning a WC