Italian Marcelo Lippi has faced a number of soccer pundit jokes this season due to the age of his team. The Italian team is undoubtedly old, with 30-year old Vincenzo Iaquinta, 31 year-old Andrea Pirlo, 32 year olds Gianluigi Buffon, Gennaro Guttuso, and Antonio Di Natale, 33 year-olds Mauro Camoranesi and Gianluca Zambrotta, and 36-year old Fabio Cannavaro all likely to have to be replaced by Lippi or Azzuri’s next manager by the Brazilian World Cup in 2014.
Lorenzo De Silvestri Defender (Fiorentina) Aged 22
De Silvestri, a former full back for Lazio, is slightly over six feet tall. After a 2009 move to Fiorentina, De Silvestri has exemplified the form that set him apart whilst playing for Italy’s U16 and U21 teams. A marauding, powerful full back, he gets forward well and looks to be a possible long term replacement for Gianluca Zambrotta in the national team.
Davide Santon Defender (Inter) Aged 19
Santon, who played for Inter in 28 games and Azzuri in five, has set himself apart as an excellent defender with an ability to play either flank with ease. Compared by Italian head coach Marcelo Lippi to Paolo Maldini, Santon has fantastic energy and can race up and down the flanks for the full 90 minutes. Thanks to his sound technical skills, and omitting the risk of injury, Santon should be joining the next few major finals Italian squads.
Mario Balotelli (Striker) (Inter) Aged 19
Mario Batelli, though prone to fights and poor sportsmanship, may be one of the best attackers or wingers wearing the Italy soccer jersey in upcoming games. Batelli’s run-ins with both fans and management only serve to distract from his excellent record: the player scored twenty goals in 59 games and notched 6 and 16 for the U21 Italian set. We can expect to see Batelli at the 2012 Euro qualifiers because Italy is going to need a brand new look strike force.
Federico Macheda (Striker) (Man Utd) Aged 18
A fiercely underrated player that has yet to regularly make the first team at Old Trafford, Macheda is set to have a great next season and catch they eye of Azzuri management. Macheda is a strong, intelligent striker, who has an eye for goal. Particularly good with his back to goal, he has already been capped at U21 level for Italy and if he can start to make a bigger impact in the United first team, full honours should soon follow.
Antonio Candreva (Midfielder) Udinese Aged 23
The most daunting challenge that the Italian team faces is finding Pirlo’s replacement, and they may have found their man in Candreva. The Udinese midfielder, who is being touted as making his loan move during last season to Juventus more permanent, is versatile enough to play anywhere in midfield but seems to excel in the holding, creative role so favoured by Pirlo.