Soccer: My New Favorite Sport (thanks to a class)

One of my classes this quarter, Sports Writing, requires us to focus on the upcoming World Cup. I drafted Italy as my nation to follow, and here is my first assignment. Give it a read, you might learn to love soccer like I did after these 800 words or so.

Viva Italia!

Blue with Envy: Defending Champ Italy Heads to South Africa

By Kim Dunbar

Everyone will be aiming for reigning champ Italy in the 2010 World Cup come June, but hopefully there won’t be any head-butting involved.

The 2006 FIFA World Cup in Berlin ended with a shower of confetti and a sea of blue jerseys as the Azzurri (one of the squad’s nicknames and Italian for blue) celebrated its victory over France and first World Cup win since 1982. At that moment, Italy not only raised the Cup as the World’s champion, but became the second most successful team in the competition’s history, one title shy of Brazil’s five.

However, the championship was overshadowed by the infamous head-butting incident. The euphoric image of the Italian national squad lifting the long-awaited and coveted trophy—in celebration of their win and their devoted fans—was smeared by the media like a child finger-painting over a Picasso.

If you don’t remember what I’m talking about, here’s a quick refresher: with ten minutes left of extra-time in the final, France’s Zinedine Zidane and Italy’s Marco Materazzi exchanged words, ending with Materazzi on the ground after Zidane head-butted him. The Frenchman, who planned to retire after the tournament, was sent off, ending his career with a move that has become synonymous with Zidane and the 2006 World Cup, and unfortunately remembered by casual soccer fans more than his decorated career or Italy’s win.

The Azzurri went on to beat the Zidane-less France 5-3 in penalty kicks after posting a 1-1 draw in regulation. But most people remember that Materazzi later admitted to calling Zidane’s sister a “puttana,” rather than the fact that these men each scored a goal, the only goals of the game.

Fast forward four years to 2010. There are 65 days and counting until Italy returns to the World Cup, which begins June 11 and culminating with the final on July 11. This time, they’re looking to defend their championship despite wearing one giant target on their backs. They head to South Africa as a favorite to reach the finals again and potentially repeat, hopefully this time without the controversy.

In fact, Italy is the only squad in World Cup history other than Brazil who has ever retained the Cup, winning it in 1934 and 1938. A championship isn’t the only thing Italy will be looking to repeat this year: the nation plans to capture the glory again with virtually the same squad from 2006.

The idea that Italy will return to the World Cup with many of the same stars who helped the country reach the podium four years ago have some people questioning how it will affect their chances. According to an article appearing on the FIFA World Cup website, stars such as Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta and Andrea Pirlo “are all the wrong side of 30,” but Coach Marcello Lippi, who coached Italy to victory in 2006, “insists that it will make no difference over a month-long tournament.”

Lippi is banking on this idea that with age comes experience, and hopes it will carry his team through the tournament. In the aforementioned FIFA article “Lippi Keeps Faith in Ageing Italy,” the coach said: “The quality of a player is not just about age or technique, there's also enthusiasm, experience, charisma, wisdom, familiarity with international matches... It's about one month and six or seven matches. We don't necessarily need players aged 24."

The 61-year-old Italian coach, who is one of the most famous and decorated coaches in soccer history, said that he would make different decisions regarding the construction of his team if he they were to compete for an entire season, but thinks his chosen players can prevail in the month-long World Cup.

Perhaps one of those changes would include adding Italian star Mario Balotelli to the national team. The FIFA article documents Lippi’s controversial decision to pass over the 19-year-old Milan phenom, but the coach insists he is doing what is best for his team. Balotelli is known to have a “turbulent relationship” with his Milan skipper and this immaturity, which might just be a reflection of his young age, could have been his downfall when it came to missing out on a spot with the national team.

Lippi added: “It's the coaches who make the decisions, motivated by the construction of the squad. They're talented players, but that doesn't necessarily mean we have to pick them. But I've never said that such-and-such a player was in or that such-and-such a player was out. There's no-one 'in or out' and, until mid-May, I'll look at everyone.

“As for Balotelli, he has great qualities and I'm sure that once he's finished maturing at Inter there's no doubt his qualities will be useful to the national side," he said.

One player who won’t be returning to the 2010 squad: Materazzi. According to a Reuters article published in January, the 36-year old defender was a long-shot to make the team and has already made plans to travel around the United States instead of watching his country defend their title.

“I know where I'll be on June 11—in my motor home traveling around America. I won't watch the tournament, the timings won't work out,” he said.

Even without Materazzi, Balotelli and any head-butting, Italy is sure to bring the drama with them to South Africa. Italy set the tone early, qualifying for the World Cup with one game to spare in a 2-2 draw over Ireland, in which Italy scored a last minute goal.

Despite squeaking one out over the unlucky Irish, Italy was able to dominate its group, posting seven wins and three draws while paving its way to the Cup. However, June might be a different story. While the Italian national team is predicted to win their Group F, they will not look past Paraguay and Slovakia, teams who have shown they could be a threat in Italy’s road to a repeat (bottom-feeder New Zealand rounds out Group F).

The hearts of Italy’s soccer fans are painted blue (the color, a departure from the traditional red, white and green that comprise the Italian flag, honors the House of Savoy, the royal family and dynasty that unified Italy in 1861—you really can find the answer to anything on Wikipedia). And the fans of the Azzurri are hoping that the 2010 World Cup ends the same way it did in 2006: with confetti showering a sea of blue jerseys on the podium.

Minus the head-butt.