Italy: the Facts!

June 2nd, 2008 | By: Jan | 4 Comments »

The Facts on our friends from Italy…

Surface area: 301.230 square kilometers.
Number of inhabitants: 58 million.
Capital: Rome.
Football Federation: Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio.
Website: www.figc.it.
Team jerseys: azzuri blue shirt, white shorts, blue socks.
Captain: Fabio Cannavaro.
Star player: Luca Toni.
EC-history: Champs in 1968.
Team manager: Roberto Donadoni.
EK-kwalificatie: winners poule B.
Topscorer EC-qualifications: Luca Toni (5).
Sterspeler: Luca Toni

Two years back, Luca Toni won the World title with Italy. The successfull striker of Bayern Munich has a new goal. Like the French did, he now wants to win the European title.

The French are the only ones who won the EC title as reigning world champs (1998 and 2000).
The 31 year old is in great form. He scored 39 goals in 46 official games. He is part of a select group of tor-machines in the Bayern history, with Gerd Muller and Rainer Ohlhauser.
Toni took Roy Makaay’s record as most productive foreign striker in his first season. The current Feyenoord hitman scored 34 goals in the 2004/05 season.

Toni is the number one choice in Roberto Donadoni’s line up. He has that much confidence in the 1.94 meter tall striker that he even left Filippo Inzaghi at home.

Tags: Basten, Bouma, Euro 2008, Oranje, Sar, Toni

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Comments

By Caleb | June 2nd, 2008 at 9:31 am

I believe Roy’s most productive player award was not based only on his goals, but also on his assists – which was a large number as well. Does Toni give assists too?

Posted from Canada

By Angelo | June 2nd, 2008 at 2:22 pm

You fool Caleb – Of course he does!!!!
Did you not see the World Cup of 2006 – maybe your all too busy watching the Stanley Cup in Canada!!!!

Posted from United Kingdom

By Caleb | June 2nd, 2008 at 4:13 pm

I don’t watch the Stanley Cup usually. I did watch the 2006 world cup, but Italy was so boring I can’t remember anything about their play, sorry.

By the way, just because I live in Canada doesn’t necessarily mean I love hockey. You live in England – does that necessarily mean you eat fish and chips?

Or, your Italian – does that necessarily mean that you play boring soccer and fake/whine/dive alot? Well… I guess it does… but regardless, not all Canadians watch the NHL.

Posted from Canada

By Rob | June 3rd, 2008 at 12:39 am

Italy – best team in the group. Great defence with plenty of depth, very solid midfield and a great attack. Along with Spain, they have the best squad on paper in the group. It’ll be a battle of possession pure and simple. Oranje have taken on good Italian sides before and been successful, Italy are certainly not invincible. It’s going to be too close to call – very nervy – one goal in it or goaless I reckon.

Posted from Japan