Italy

Well, Italy are clearly not a product, strangely enough they are a football team of gladiator proportions. What can you say, except defence, defence, defence oh maybe we will have a counter attack. Enough of this, what are Italy like, well as my tip for the top after the Turkey game, they came so close, about 60 seconds from lifting the trophy. It just goes to show you how cruel football is. Nesta and co had been defying everbody with every part of their anatomy and dear old Toldo (should he have been in Lord of the Rings!), got everything fired at him, until that fateful second. Then the team ... more

why do i support Italy with tears in my eyes, as yet again they managed to blow it again. Throw out the tournement the pundits did not rate Italyif you had listiened to them you would have thought that they would be lucky to come bottom of their group but Italy proved them wrong. it was with hope and some trepidation that i supported italy throw out Euro 2000. Some people might wonder why since the nearest I've got to being Italian is a passion for pasta. But italian football - league and their national games are just magical and so skillful at times . it can be a heart breaking experience ... more

My prediction was right in the Euro 2000, for those of you who had read my comment before the final you would of won a lot of money. Both Italy and France have a great defensive side and any great striker would find it hard to break it down. My heart goes to Italy, it really is a terrible way to lose the final and it has happened to them before against Brazil in world cup 98, they really seem to be unlucky although most of the players have changed it seems the luck has stayed the same. ... more

I've been supporting Italy since 1994 World Cup,they were one of the finest team in the tournament and produced one of the most classic match with Brazil in the final.That was a quite talented squad, Alessandro Costacurta,Franco Baresi, Demetrio Albertini, Dino Baggio, Roberto Donadoni Gianfranco Zola and Roberto Baggio.... I shall never forget Baggio's penalty and his forvever elegance. Four years later,they stopped their world cup voyage at quarter-final,lost to the host France.The stubborn Italian coach Cesare Maldini did not take Baggio to France.My heart was torn up. Another two years on ... more

For the majority of this championship, i have wanted Italy to win, and after the final I thought they deserved it. They had beaten Holland on the way to the final, something france did not manage to do. O.k, they were not the strongest up front, but lets not forget that they were missing their main striker Vieri. How many teams would have been able to cope with missing thacvt fire power up front. Also, as everyone knows they have the strongest defence, to hold out for nealry 90 mins against the dutch, with 10 men and a clean sheet, is mroe than any of the other teams could have managed. If the ... more

Do not think that France are going to beat Italy easily in the final of Euro 2000. Italy showed guts in the Semi-Final against the Netherlands and won on penalties. Even though they lost Buffon, Baggio and Vieri before the tournemount and now don't have Zambrotta for the final they will be up for it. France may win, but you can be sure that it will NOT be an easy ride. If Totti, Del Piero and Inzaghi are on form receive the proper survive from Maldini and Albertini then who knows what might happen. Henry may be fast and Anelka may have strength up front but Nesta and Cannovaro can handle them ... more

Italy came through a tough test of their defensive mettle after they were reduced to ten men just after the half-hour, during their semi-final match against the co-hosts Holland; when Gianluca Zambrotta received his second yellow card. They were on the ropes for most of the game, but Holland didn't have the knockout punch. The defensive trio of Cannavaro, Nesta and Iulianio performed heroics to keep the Azzurri in the competition, while Franceso Toldo didn't put a foot wrong in goal. Holland missed two penalties during the game and three in the shoot-out, as their marksmen proved inadequate in ... more

italy were so cruely denied a place in the history books as france fought back dramatically at the death to grab an underserved equaliser and then go on to score a golden goal. italy had battled, scraped,fought and drained themselves dry to defend and get the lead which was so cruelly snatched from them in the last minute.but,they do say you make your own luck and del piero wasted two oppurtunities to wrap things up and bury france long before they struck back. now theyre just left thinking of what might have been (and should) ... more

In my earlier message, I stated that Marco Tardelli was the new manager of Italy, well, what can I say, I was misinformed:o( Giovanni Trappatoni is the new manager. He might be old, and look what the oldest manager in the tornament did, Mr Boskov just didn't know how to defend:o) But Giovanni is different and also he is very successful at club level with Milan, Juventus and the Bayern Munich. He had an average season with Fiorentina in Italy, but we are expecting big things from him as the manager of Italy. ... more

Italy had the best defence on Euro 2000. They couldn't be beated not even by Netherland who has best attack. I wish to say I liked their game... but I think that a game played on defemce make the game not very spectacular. For example the game played by Italy vs Romania. Romania had a poor game but they attacked. The tactical skill couldn't pass over Italy. But Romania dominated the game. Italy scored on the contraattack. Maybe for the final score defence is good but not for the show, and for the true football watcher show is the most important thing (when the national theam is not playing) ... more