Gianluigi Buffon
Made his debut for Italy in October 1997 aged 19. Currently playing for Juventus, Buffon has 75 Italy caps (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: January 28, 1978
Height: 1.91m (6ft 3in)
Fact: Buffon signed for a world-record fee of £33 million to Juventus in 2001.

Angelo Peruzzi
Made his debut for Italy in March 1995, against Estonia, aged 25. Currently playing for Lazio, Peruzzi has 42 Italy caps (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: February 16, 1970
Height: 1.81m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Peruzzi quit the national team after his many injuries but four years later returned to back up Gianluigi Buffon.

Marco Amelia
Made his debut for Italy in November 2005, against Holland, aged 23. Currently playing for Livorno, Amelia has 3 Italy caps (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: April 2, 1982
Height: 1.90m (6ft 3in)
Fact: Italy's third-choice 'keeper this summer, Amelia is yet to keep a clean sheet for his country.

Defenders

Fabio Cannavaro
Made his debut in January 1996, against Wales, aged 22. Currently playing for Juventus, Cannavaro has 97 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: September 13, 1973
Height: 1.75m (5ft 8in)
Fact: Cannavaro played alongside his younger brother Paolo at Parma for two years before joining Inter Milan in 2002.

Alessandro Nesta
Made his debut for Italy in October 1996, against Moldova, aged 20. Currently playing for AC Milan, Nesta has 89 caps and 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: March 19, 1976
Height: 1.87m (6ft 1in)
Fact: At the beginning of his career Nesta played as a forward and in midfield before finding his true talent in defence.

Gianluca Zambrotta
Made his debut for Italy in February 1999, against Norway, aged 21. Currently playing for Juventus, Zambrotta has 55 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: February 19, 1977
Height: 1.81m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Although Zambrotta is a left-back, he played right midfield for Juventus in the 2002-2003 season, when he won his second championship medal with the side.

Marco Materazzi
Made his debut for Italy in April 2001, against South Africa, aged 27. Currently playing for Inter Milan, Materazzi has 39 caps and has scored 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth:August 19, 1973
Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in)
Fact: Materazzi's father is Giuseppe Materazzi, former coach of Sporting Clube de Portugal.

Cristian Zaccardo
Made his debut for Italy in October 2004, against Slovenia, aged 22. Currently playing for Palermo, Zaccardo has 17 caps and has scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: December 21, 1981
Height:1.82m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Zaccardo scored one goal in the 2001 season, and one in the 2002 season for Bologna. Both goals were scored on the same day (December 22) against the same team (Lazio), in the same stadium (Stadio Olimpico).

Massimo Oddo
Made his debut for Italy in August 2002 aged 26. Currently playing for Lazio, Oddo has 30 caps and has scored 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: June 14, 1976
Height:1.82m (5ft 11in)
Fact: Oddo's father Francesco was a former player and manager.

Andrea Barzagli
Made his debut for Italy in November 2004, against Finland, aged 23. Currently playing for Palermo, Barzagli has 7 caps and scored 0 goals for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: May 8, 1981
Height: 1.86m (6ft 1in)
Fact: Barzagli was a member of the Italian team that won bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Fabio Grosso
Made his debut for Italy in April 2003, against SwItzerland, aged 25. Currently playing for Palermo, Grosso has 14 caps and scored 1 goal for his country (as at March 1, 2006).
Date of birth: November 28, 1977
Height: 1.90m (6ft 2in)
Fact: Grosso scored his only international goal to date in a World Cup qualifier against Scotland in September 2005.