Mauro Camoranesi
Made his debut for Italy in February 2003, against Portugal, aged 26. Currently playing for Juventus, Camoranesi has 21 caps and scored 2 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: October 4, 1976
Height: 1.82m (5ft 9in)
Fact: Although born in Argentina, Camoranesi has Italian ancestors and decided to play for Italy.

Daniele De Rossi
Made his debut for Italy in September 2004, against Norway, aged 21. Currently playing for AS Roma, De Rossi has 15 caps and has scored 3 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: July 24, 1983
Height: 1.84m (6ft)
Fact: De Rossi was praised for his fair play by referee Mauro Bergonzi when, having scored a goal with his hand against Messina, he admitted this to the referee who reversed his decision and disallowed the goal.

Andrea Pirlo
Made his debut for Italy in September 2002, against Azerbaijan, aged 23. Currently playing for AC Milan, Pirlo has 28 caps and has scored 4 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: May 19, 1979
Height: 1.77m (5ft 9in)
Fact: Pirlo chooses to play as number 21 since this is the date of his wedding anniversary.

Simone Perrotta
Made his debut for Italy in November 2002, against Turkey, aged 25. Currently playing for AS Roma, Perrotta has 22 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: September 19, 1977
Height: 1.78m (5ft 10in)
Fact: Perrota was born in England.

Gennnaro Ivan Gattuso
Made his debut for Italy in February 2000, against Sweden, aged 22. Currently playing for AC Milan, Gattuso has 45 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: January 9, 1978
Height: 1.77m (5ft 9in)
Fact: after just ten appearances for AC Perugia, Gattuso moved to Rangers FC on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling in 1997.

Simone Barone
Made his debut for Italy in February 2004, against Czech Republic, aged 25. Currently playing for Palermo, Barone has 12 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: April 30, 1978
Height: 1.78m (5ft 10in)
Fact: A regular member of the Italian squad throughout the qualifying stages, Barone scored his only international goal to date after coming on as a half-time substitute in a friendly match against Russia in February 2005; the game finished 2-0 to Italy.

Francesco Totti
Made his debut for Italy in October 1998, against Switzerland, aged 22. Currently playing for AS Roma, Totti has 54 caps and has scored 8 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: September 27, 1976
Height: 1.80m (5ft 10in)
Fact: Totti was Italy's Player of the Year in 2000 and 2003.

Strikers

Alessando Del Piero
Made his debut for Italy in March 1995, against Estonia, aged 20. Currently playing for Juventus, Del Piero has 86 caps and has scored 26 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: November 9, 1974
Height:1.73m (5ft 9in)
Fact: Del Piero is the all-time top goal scorer for Juventus, since surpassing previous record-holder Giampiero Boniperti's 182 goals for the club in January 2006.

Alberto Gilardino
Made his debut for Italy in September 2004, against Norway, aged 22. Currently playing for AC Milan, Gilardino has 16 caps and 6 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: July 5, 1982
Height: 1.84m (6ft)
Fact: Gilardino was voted best Italian player and best overall player in the 2004-2005 season.

Luca Toni
Made his debut for Italy in August 2004, against Iceland, aged 27. Currently playing for Fiorintina, Toni has 19 caps and has scored 7 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: May 26, 1977
Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in)
Fact: Toni scored a hat-trick for Italy in a 2006 World Cup qualifier against Belarus.

Filippo Inzaghi
Made his debut for Italy in June 1997, against Brazil, aged 23. Currently playing for AC Milan, Inzaghi has 48 caps and has scored 21 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: August 9, 1973
Height: 1.81m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Inzaghi was recalled to the squad in early 2006 following a three-year absence from the national side; Inzaghi, whose brother Simone has also represented Italy at senior international level, is a veteran of the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.

Vincenzo Iaquinta
Made his debut for Italy in March 2005, against Iceland, aged 25. Currently playing for Udinese, Iaquinta has 5 caps and has scored 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: November 21, 1979
Height: 1.86m (6ft 1in)
Fact: Iaquinta's 13 goals in 31 games for Udinese in 2004-2005 helped his club finish in fourth place in the league and earn a spot in the Champions League for the first time ever.