Italy top World Rankings!

Italy have jumped over Brazil to lead the FIFA World Rankings for the first time since November 1993.

The Azzurri have brought the Selecao’s 55-month run as leaders to an end after the South American nation lost 2-0 to Portugal last week.

The World Cup winners were scheduled to play a friendly with Romania seven days ago, but the match was cancelled after rioting fans in Catania killed a policeman following a Serie A match.

Reacting to the news, World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi has spoken of his pride at topping the rankings for the first time in 14 years.

"I am obviously satisfied with this achievement that was prompted by the World Cup victory and probably also Brazil’s recent defeat to Portugal," said the former tactician.

The Azzurri leapfrogged past Brazil in the standings this month despite a stuttering reign under new coach Roberto Donadoni, who took over following Lippi’s resignation.

"We are once again leading the world and that is certainly a very important recognition for our football. All of us have reason to be extremely proud."

There are no other changes in the top five with Argentina, France and Germany all trailing Brazil in second. Spain have returned to the top 10 for the first time since October last year.

The next FIFA World Rankings will be published on March 14, 2007.

Top 10:
1 (2) Italy – 1,562 points
2 (1) Brazil – 1,540
3 (3) Argentina – 1,535
4 (4) France – 1,496
5 (5) Germany – 1,359
6 (6) England – 1,330
7 (7) Netherlands – 1,312
8 (9) Portugal – 1,262
9 (10) Czech Republic – 1,193
10 (12) Spain – 1,161

FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings >>>


EDIT: 14/03/07 - Italy’s leadership of the FIFA World Rankings lasted just a month as Argentina took top spot in March. Full Story >>>

Azzurrini learn Euro 2009 qualifying fate

Italy will face Croatia, Greece, Albania, Azerbaijan and the Faroe Islands in the qualifying stages for the 2009 U-21 European Championship Finals.

The draw took place in Stockholm on Tuesday and the matches will begin before the start of the 2007 Finals in the Netherlands this summer.

Sweden, as hosts, qualify automatically and are the only side guaranteed a place in the eight-team event, while the 10 group winners and four best second-placed sides in the group stage will qualify for the two-legged play-offs – scheduled for October 2008.

"We were drawn in the only six-team group and therefore we will have two extra matches to play compared to the other sides," said Azzurrini boss Pierluigi Casiraghi. "Ours isn’t an easy group.

"The friendly with Croatia represented my debut on the Italy bench and I remember it ended with a goalless draw.

"I also played against then when I was a player, their tactics are very similar to ours.

"Greece are also dangerous opponents and I am sure they can do well, especially after the Olympic Games in Athens."

The Azzurrini have qualified for the final phase of this year’s tournament, which will take place from June 10 to June 23.

Group 1:
Italy
Croatia
Greece
Albania
Azerbaijan
Faroe Islands

Group 2:
Czech Republic
Ukraine
Turkey
Armenia
Liechtenstein

Group 3:
Portugal
England
Bulgaria
Republic of Ireland
Montenegro

Group 4:
Spain
Russia
Poland
Georgia
Kazakhstan

Group 5:
Netherlands
Switzerland
Norway
Macedonia
Estonia

Group 6:
Denmark
Slovenia
Lithuania
Finland
Scotland

Group 7:
Belgium
Slovakia
Iceland
Austria
Cyprus

Group 8:
Serbia
Hungary
Belarus
Latvia
San Marino

Group 9:
Germany
Israel
Moldova
Northern Ireland
Luxembourg

Group 10:
France
Romania
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Wales
Malta

Italian Football suspended following violence

Italy's international and domestic football Championships have been suspended indefinitely after the death of a policeman at a Serie A match in Sicily on Friday.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) President Luca Pancalli declared that all the weekend's matches in Serie A and Serie B were suspended, then clarified that the suspension was "indefinite".

Gigi Riva, a coach for Italy's national team, told Italian TV the suspension also applied to the national teams. The World Champions were scheduled to play a friendly match with Romania in Siena next Wednesday.

The Italy Under-21's game against Belgium in Chieti on Tuesday has also been cancelled.

The incidents will no doubt harm Italy's bid to host the 2012 European Championships. UEFA will announce the hosts of the 2012 tournament at the end of April.

Read full story here >>>

Casiraghi names U-21 squad

Italy Under-21 coach Pierluigi Casiraghi has named a strong 20-man squad for next Tuesday’s friendly against Belgium as the Azzurrini continue to build towards the summer's UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Among the selection for the fixture at the Stadio Guido Angelini in Chieti is forward Giuseppe Rossi, who celebrated his 20th birthday on Thursday and is in fine goalscoring form for Parma since returning to the club on loan from Manchester United last month.

Arsenal forward Arturo Lupoli, on loan at Derby County, has been confirmed in the squad after his debut in the 2-0 win over Luxembourg in December, when he became the first striker to score under the reign of Casiraghi. Juventus forward Raffaele Palladino makes his return after missing the last tie, but Bianconeri youngsters Paolo De Ceglie and Claudio Marchisio have been ignored.

The fact that Torino wizard Alessandro Rosina has been called up suggests that he won’t win his first call-up to the full squad for the friendly against Romania next Wednesday.

Defenders Marco Andeolli and Giorgio Chiellini, along with midfielder Alberto Aquilani, are missing because of injury.

Italy have qualified for next summer’s European Championships in the Netherlands between June 10 to 23. The five-time European champions will face England, Serbia and the Czech Republic in Group B.


Italy squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluca Curci (Roma), Emiliano Viviano (Brescia).

Defenders: Andrea Coda (Udinese), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Andrea Mantovani (Chievo), Lino Marzoratti (Empoli), Marco Motta (Udinese), Francesco Pisano (Cagliari), Alessandro Potenza (Fiorentina).

Midfielders: Raffaele De Martino (Udinese), Andrea Lazzari (Piacenza), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Antonio Nocerino (Piacenza), Simone Padoin (Vicenza), Alessandro Rosina (Torino).

Forwards: Arturo Lupoli (Derby County), Raffaele Palladino (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Fiorentina), Graziano Pelle' (Cesena), Giuseppe Rossi (Parma).