WELL WELL WELL ... REMEMBER YOU GUYS SAID THAT THE ITALIANS HAD THE BEST LEAGUE? WELL HOW MANY TEAMS DO THEY HAVE LEFT IN EUROPE NOW.HA-HA-HA.

Yes, it is also strange how many foreign players make those Italian teams so great. For instance, AC Milan would be nothing without BIERHOFF.
If you want true testimony to Italian football, just see how their national team performs in the Euro-Cup. Then we shall have a good laugh together:
Final: Germany - 3
Holland - 1
(Italy? Who are they? hahahahahaha!!!)

....AND:

I will be REALLY big fun watching the Krauts at WC-2004! They have absolutely NO young talents, their squad is OLD and will soon be crippled.

Italy's Under21 team is better than their A side and will KICK ASS soon! Potential world stars include: Cassano, Ventola, Pirlo, Baronio and many more.

Where is the german Jugend?

You musn't fear the ages of Germany's national team members. In both World Cups of 1994 and 1998, many thought Germany was too old to get anywhere...both times, they made it to the Quarter-Finals (and only lost due to bad-referee-decision).
When the BIG occassion arises, count on Germany to succeed with their hearts.
And as Berti Vogts once said, "there are no young and old players, only good and bad."
And Germany certainly has good players...and they make a killer team.
Italy? Many great players...piss-poor teams (hahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahaha!!!).

Yo Voltaire youre retarted.... If you look at the records Italian teams won more cups than any other country.... Ac Milan ? Bierhoof? What are u stupid? Hes lucky he gets playen time he sux my nuts.... I must agree with Zambrotta for the 1st time... And in 1994 Bulgaria beat Germany and Italy beat Bulgaria.... In 98 Germany went out Patheticley to Croatia and Italy lost to WORLD CHAMPIONS IN SHOOT-OUT So shut ur mouth

yeah - like that would be true... In 94 they scored on a penalty, and I began to fear that it would take the same road as in 90 when they beat CZR only because of a penatly.
BUT NO: THANK YOU LECHKOV - who was threatend by some stupid german pricks after this, when he played for HSV.

And in 98: 3-0 and a bad ref? They got killed by Croatia, with full due. Red was Red, they had nothing left to give.

Talking about the last two WCs: Italy surely did not play better, but had better results.
I know that all in all Germany is Europe's most succesfull team, but this will stop. 1st round out in June.

And how poor must german teams be if they lost so many damn times in the past to oh-so poor Italian teams (clubs), even when there were not more than 3 foreigners per team?

To see how most German players suck, just look how most of them flopped in Italy: I only take Matthäus, Riedle, Brehme and Bierhoff as exeptions in the last 10 years.

Lehmann, Möller, Sammer, Klinsi, Ziege, Heinrich, EFFE and some more.

Yes, Italy has many great players...but as a recent friendly with Denmark shows, you need to play as a team to win.

hey voltaire, u say foreign players make italian teams great, well there are three reasons why you are wrong:
1. Juventus on top of the ladder... they are team made up of mostly italians, and their true strikeforce (inzaghi and del piero) are both italian
2. Roma....first time in years they had a good shot at the title....they have now blown it, but the depth in the talent of Italian players can still be seen with Roma's strike force.....Totti, Del Vecchio and Montella......no space for the brazilian fabio junior
3. Inter......full of foreign players, yet what have they done recently.....absolutely nothing.....complete disappointment, as they are easily the strongest team on paper.....yet they cant produce it on the field

anyway, Forza Juve!!!!

Yes, Italy (like Germany) are traditionally good. Yes, I was exaggerating about the strength of foreigners in Serie A, but Italy definitely does not have what it takes to win a national tournament. Maybe they need to select their teams better? but they definitely do not play well as a team. whereas Germany will always perform well with/without their best players. Sure, MAYBE Italian club might win, but the national team of Italy will never be put together for anything other than mediocrity.

Italian teams won about 50% of ALL cups in the past 10 years. It cannot happen every year.
Milan would be nothing without Bierhoff: go on dreaming.

I agree that Holland is much better than Italy, but Germany...hahahahahaha. Wait until they play a real team (and hope for a neutral Ref...)

I still think the Serie A is the best LEAGUE in the world, as the have the best density, wheras it may be true that this years best TEAMS come from other countries.

But I can understand frustrated English, French, German and Spanish fans to rejoice this year, as they had little to laugh about in the past with italian teams winning all the cups.

And by your rational: if only foreigners made the L great, the Serie A should be getting better and better, as by the year more and more foreigners play in Italy. This is not the case.
Less transfers are a huge advantage, as homogenity counts in a team, and I hope that Serie A officials will finally notice. Which team wins Serie A this year? Juve. They made the least off-season moves. And confimed 9 starters from last year. They also start with 7 Italians, which is very much for Serie A standards.

Even as a German fan, you should agree that Italy should have met Germany in the finals in 90. They playes awesome.

In 94 and 98 they had crazy coaches (like today...).
But in 96 they played the best soccer (albeit with Sacci as CT) and Germany was VERY lucky to get that draw. Remeber that stupid penalty from Zola (or that stupid ref who did not send of Koepke on Casiraghi being the last man).
If you saw Italy's last match against Sweden, which is a great team, there was progress. That games against Belgium, Denmark and Bielorussia were the bottom line.
Now let us see how they perform against Spain - they are an exiting young team, and soon will be bolstered up with even more talents - wait until Pirlo or Cassano get to play in the A team.
I admit that Germany is almost always there when it counts, but in the last time that had also many troubles. I remember the last game of their group when they suffered horribly against Turkey, which killed itseld by not winning important games against weak teams. And what about the first friendlies after France 98...?

I would not go out on my own to diss a national team, but I surely come out if you talk trash about my team. So long.

p.s. to juvegoose: Inter is finally, after 2 years again playing like a team. Don't count them out. Just remember: if they had not lost 4 points against Parma and Inter in the last seconds....there are 27 points left...!

Germany reach Euro 2000 Final???, no chance in hell. Italy, doubt it. But so what about the Italian teams, it's unlikely any other nation can get their club teams to conjure up so many european trohies like Italian teams has. and BTW, it's going to be a Spanish year, Barca for the Champs League, Celta for UEFA Cup, Spain possibly play the Netherlands in the Euro 2000 final. But keep on dreaming if you think Bayern or United will win the Champs League, Leeds or Werder Bremen win the UEFA Cup, and England or Germany winning Euro 2000, you must have pretty high hopes.

Well you must have heard Louis Enrique is out until next season? That has to damage chances for Barca and Spain both.

Zambrotta I agree with everything you say, and I would add Italy arguably outplayed France in WC 98.

By the way I know Cassano is very young but I think the coach should give some serious thought to calling him up, if he hasn't already. Every time I see him play he does great things.

Well the problem I see is:
Today there is a fight between to legitimate "10": Totti and Del Piero. Totti is better of course, but for some messed up reason Zoff loves Del Piero.
Now imagine if Pirlo and Cassano joined the ranks... If Pirlo got the chance to play in the Italian Serie A team, he would show that pound for pound he has more genious and skills than even Totti, not to speak of del Piero, on the other hand he is only 20. But I hope for Pirlo that he will develop into a a bit more defensive minded player, an attacking midfielder.
Cassano has not even played for the U-21 team, but he will soon. For 17 years the things he does are fantastic, I sure hope Fascetti gives hime more time at Bari.
I will be interesting to see how Pirlo and Cassano will play together for Tardelli, I'd like to see them this way: Pirlo as trequartista, Cassano as seconda punta, Ventola as centerforward. This attack can rival any brazilian players.

It is funny, because I see the following problem: Italy always had too many great players, and coaches did never confirm a particular one (even if it must be said that their choice was hard). Remeber the last 10 years: Baggio-Mancini-Zola-(Del Piero). The former 3 were all outstanding players, but they never got the constant playing time for Italy they deserved. Baggio was the most skilled and fraigle, I see him like Pirlo. Mancini was the most outspoken, the most energetic, and the most altruistic - for more than one reason I see Totti as his successor: great things for his club, never given chances for Italy. Zola was surely inferior to the former 2, but he behaved good and was a Sacchi darling for his last 2 years. Del Piero is Zoff's darling...

Yes excellent analysis,of course I'm not suggesting Cassano should start, but maybe a place on the bench, or maybe so he could get acclimated to the team, like what Brasil did with Ronaldo in 94. Though if this causes conflict with other players who might be jealous then maybe he shouldn't be called up.
It is strange, isn't it that Mancini was hardly ever called up for the national, and never played in the WC? that is a small travesty.

By the way did you hear about the rumor about Cesare Maldini going to Milan? I read that Berlusconi is very angry at Zaccheroni and his days are numbered!

Well, seeing Maldini at Milan would be fun...and the end of Milan's dreams. I know he won a lot with the U-21 team, but he had some fabulous players.
The last thing I heard was a swith Zac for Malesani, which does not convince me either. Zac is one of my favourite coaches, and he did a brilliant job at Milan. Last year the won the scudetto, even though Lazio was a better team. This year it just did not work out, but it ain't Zac's fault. In 2 years, he introduced 5 great, young Italian players (Gattuso, Abbiati, Ambrosini, Sala and de Ascentis), and he made Milan a strong club again (instead of 96-97 amd 97-98).

Regarding Mancini, this was one of the biggest scandals ever. He was the only really constant players I mentioned, but he simply was too much of a personality for Sacchi to handle. Sacchi always had troubles with people who spole their mind: Vialli, Mancini, Panucci and Lentini. He passed on these 4 great players, and this caused Italy to loose WC 94.
But one thing gives me peace of mind: when I go to gazzetta.it and talk with the guys at the forum about Mancini EVERYBODY concurrs that he is a great player and a great man. The only other I can think of that is regarded in the same way is Franco Baresi.

And speaking about Italy in general: I sure would like to see Luigi de Canio as Italy's next coach. He is fantastic, some sort of down-to-the-earth Zeman...

...Sacchi did also eliminate Pagliuca in 95, who was the best keeper in the world back then, simply because he said he had had sex with a lot of women before he married.
And add Roberto Baggio to that list in 96...

Sacchi was an *******.It seemed everyone hated him,do u all recall in Wc'94 finals,Sacchi had a fight with Signori before the game Italy-Brazil.That bastard sacchi decided to bench him and that proved costly .If you also remember,the guy that replaced Signori was that old geezer Dino Massaro.

I never could understand why Signori never got to play in the WC94 final, the stupid announcers on USA tv never even mentioned him as a possibility to go in the game, and no one never explained why he was not playing, at least not in American papers.

I think Pagliuca is the MAN of Italian keepers in the 90s, simply amazing for Inter, though Peruzzi was not far behind either, a real tough guy.

Signori had never liked Sacchi,he said once that he was Hitler of Soccer.

WHAT??????????????????????????????????

I heard the Sacchi and Singori got into a fight and Singori punched Sacchi.... The only reason he didnt get sent home was that he was playing for Lazio at the time and the president of Lazio paied Sacchi... I remember the story quite well from back in 94 and im only 15 now.... damn yo THE SICILIANS GOT THE HOOK UP
Juve... juve... juve

Anyways,no one ever liked Sacchi,that bastard even went to blame Baggio for the loss against Brazil when it was his fault for not playing Signori and for letting guys like Massaro,Baresi and Evani to take the penalty shot.Massaro sucked,i dont even know why he was with the national,Evani,I never heard of him since then,he didnt do anything even though he scored on his penalty kick and as for Baresi,I dont know why Sacchi put him in penalty kick when he wasnt 100 percent fit and defenders dont have a good tendancy to score on penalty kick.I hope that bastard never coaches for the national or any italian cluba again.