So who says the Italian team is too old to defend its title? AusItalia pokes fun at the idiots who claim that the Azzurri are too old to defend their FIFA World Title.

Since the exciting finish to the 2009/10 European football season that saw an Italian club win the UEFA Champions League former FIFA World Player of the Year and Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro has had to palm off allegations that this 2010 Italy team is "too old" to defend its title.

"Lippi was challenged in Cesena and in Parma. Yet I don't remember an Italy team in the last 30 years that has done more than his," Cannavaro told La Repubblica.

"Lippi has always relied on a solid group. We qualified for the World Cup with a game to go, just like four years ago.

"Pessimism has always been part of our history. Italy have never started as favourites to win, but then we won four World Cups."

Coach Marcello Lippi, aiming to emulate his 2006 planet conquering success, has also had to answer numerous questions from the Italian press regarding his squad selection for South Africa 2010.

It seems anyone that won a World Champion medallion in 2006 has been accused of being obsolete. But then again, the press has also slammed coach Lippi for not taking some of the other Azzurri player from 2006 such as Francesco Totti and Fabio Grosso.

Apart from the hypocritical Italian journalists there is the English speaking press. And according to the experts - Italy has no chance of retaining its FIFA World Title come July 11th in Johannesburg.

Let's investigate the facts and more importantly the figures.

Starting with the 2006 FIFA World Cup triumph. This was the starting eleven for Italy.
Buffon, Zambrotta, Grosso, Cannavaro, Materazzi, Pirlo, Gattuso, Perrotta, Camoranesi, Totti and Toni.
The average age was 29.45

Let's take a look now at Lippi's likely starting eleven for World Cup 2010.
Buffon, Maggio, Criscito, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Pirlo, De Rossi, Palombo, Rossi, Gilardino, Di Natale.

The average age is now 28.09

If Lippi decides to start Gianluca Zambrotta instead of Maggio and Marchisio instead of Rossi then the average age changes by 0.73 and goes up to 28.82

Players vying for first team inclusion are Pazzini (25 years old), Bonucci (23), Montolivo (25) and Borriello (27) - players of even less age.

The question remains - who cares? Well the media does. Italy-haters care. The last thing the English-speaking press wants is yet another title won by Italians.

According to the press, like always, Fabio Capello's England apparently have a better chance of winning the 2010 World Cup. I'm afraid to say that England have no chance as their average age of their starting eleven is 28.72. This is a "staggering" 0.63 more than Italy's average age (note the sarcasm).

Average Age of 2010 FIFA World Cup Favourites
*based on probable starting eleven
*from lowest age to highest average age

Germany        26.18
Italy             28.09
France        28.27
Portugal        28.36
Argentina         28.36
Spain        28.45
England         28.72
Holland         28.72
Brazil         29

Attention betting agencies! According to the press and the football "experts" Brazil can NOT possibly win the 2010 World Cup. Dunga's men are simply "too old".

Does this mean that Germany are the favourites? Does this mean I should put a fiver on a Germany V Italy Final?

This simply means nothing.

Let's take a quick look back again at the Italy V France 2006 World Cup Final. France's average age of its starting eleven was 29.73. Another interesting fact is that France was touted as an easy team to overcome. Spain found out the hard way. So did Brazil. So did the press.

From the other angle, Italy was embroiled among the calciopoli referee placement scandal. The press preached that Lippi had no chance. Then Gianluca Pessotto's tragedy added to Italy's woes. That didn't stop Italy from adding a fourth star to its national badge.

It's also ridiculous to assume, much like the Australian press, that the Socceroos have a high chance of qualifying from a group consisting of Germany, Ghana, Serbia and Australia. Especially considering that Australia's starting eleven averages 31.18

But you won't hear that on the Channel 7 news now will you?

What the Azzurri had going for them on the field in 2006 was unbeatable form. 25 matches undefeated.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what Lippi decides to do nor how good or bad the Italian team is - the press are going to bag them. They have nothing else.

It was obvious when FIFA President Sepp Blatter refused to award the trophy to Cannavaro on July 9 2006 in Berlin - Italy really does have to take on the World.

Goodluck to Lippi, Cannavaro and their team.

AusItalia.com's David Ferrini reporting from Earth