In the light of their impressive European tournament, and the vibrancy in the Italian squad, Bettor.com looks at the best players to have donned the Azzurri shirt.
Italian outfits have been renowned for the defensive cohesiveness and the fact that the whole team plays like a well drilled side. We would look at the midfield of the Italians and look to see which players have made the cut in the engine which has kept
the Italian team running efficiently.
Italian football has built its foundations on passion, the fans are passionate, their public is passionate and the effect trickles down in the sports they play as well. So it is no surprise when you see players competing passionately in the footballing field
as well.
In this part we take a look at the midfield of the decade for the Italian national side.
Andrea Pirlo (Central Midfielder)
Pirlo won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, and has excelled in his role as the regista, for both club and country. His technique and control of the football is second to none, and his perception of the game allows him to excel where others cannot.
Despite turning 33 years old last May, Andrea Pirlo was the one of the best players of the tournament and carried the Azzurri into the finals of the tournament. He is known for his lazy elegance, and despite his apparent lethargy while playing he has always
come on top of every duel thrown at him.
One of his most magnificent performances in La Nazionale shirts in the 2012 tournament came against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Steven-Gerrard-c34196 and Andrea Pirlo was touted as the main spectacle of the match. Pirlo’s performance in the match made it
seem like it was a contest between a man and a boy; and he completely out-thought and outplayed his English counterpart.
He has also been the set piece specialist for the national side in the past decade, and after making his debut in 2002, he has been a mainstay in the national side, making more than 90 appearances for the Nazionale till now.
Pirlo has been extremely influential in the national side, and has helped the team out many times owing to his inventiveness and creativity.
Gennaro Gattuso (Right Midfield)
Probably one of the toughest tackling midfielders to have donned the Nazionale jersey, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gennaro-Gattuso-c14525 made his through his sheer grit and determination to succeed at the highest level. He was involved in many controversial instances, and has let his temper
get the better of him on many occasions.
Even though Gattuso has landed his teammates in trouble following rash tackles and needless red cards, the importance of the player cannot be underestimated. The former AC Milan midfielder put fear into the opposition players, with many players pulling out
of challenges when up against the Italian.
The tenacity and hard tackling of Gattuso allowed Pirlo to advance further into the attacking half and be more potent in his through balls and creativity. The two players complemented each other and they replicated the partnership they had at the Giuseppe
Meazza stadium to great affect for the national side.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Daniele-De-Rossi-c10112 (Left Midfield)
An immensely talented midfielder, who was given his debut in 2004, has evolved from being a temperamental, highly talented and naive player into the complete midfielder.
He is one of the few well rounded midfielders in the world, with impeccable timing in tackle and the great range of passing he has, makes him one of the best midfielders in the Italian team in the past decade.
Having the ability to play with either foot with equal ease makes him a great asset to have, and he has confessed that he does not know whether he is right-footed or left-footed. His versatility is a testament to the immense talent he has, as he is able
to play in defence and attack with equal ease.
He played as a defender for http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Andrea-Barzagli-c5669 for the opening matches of the 2012 European Championship.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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