Why forza azzurri

Italy has long been one of the strongest teams in the world and among the most successful national teams in the history of the World Cup, where it has won four titles , , , and plus reaching the finals in and Postcards from Italy. Forza Azzurri! July 7, Italy Switzerland Reviews. Follow Us. Postcards from Italy Instagram Twitter. Flickr Gallery Facebook. And words can tell you all you need to know in a moment.

It is a word that can strike fear into those versed in the weight of history behind it. It can bring pride and shame to a nation, and make its people laugh and cry in equal measure.

And it is a word that is destined to continuing thrilling and infuriating for many a year to come. Azzurri is of course the nickname for the Italian national team.

But why are Italy known as the Azzurri? And why do they wear this colour when they take to the field? When thinking of any national team and the jerseys they wear, it is natural to expect the colours of the national flag to be featured. But when it comes to Italy, it is not the case. The Italian national flag consists of the green, white and red. The romantic notion of the provenance behind these selections suggests that green represents the hills of the country; white, the mountains; and red, the blood of those who fought wars for Italian independence.

However, the colour blue is absent from the flag. For Mancini himself, it's a road to redemption after his own international career failed to progress how he would have liked.

Despite earning legendary status with his goals in games for Serie A side Sampdoria from to , Mancini only managed four goals in 36 appearances for his country. He was famously an unused substitute at Italia '90, and acrimoniously pulled out of Italy's squad for the World Cup in the United States four years later, having been demoted to at least third in the striking pecking order behind Roberto Baggio and Gianfranco Zola.

It spoke volumes that, with qualification from Group A already secured by the closing stages of the game against Wales in Rome, Mancini used his four remaining substitutions to give Bryan Cristante, Giacomo Raspadori, Gaetano Castrovilli and even reserve goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu a taste of tournament football. He also called up Francesco Acerbi, the year-old former AC Milan ultra and notorious party animal whose career and life were turned upside down by testicular cancer in Cancer saved my life.

Now, under Mancini, the Lazio defender has become a key part of the Italian defense, a trustworthy understudy to veteran center-backs Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. He played all minutes against Austria in the last , even setting up Matteo Pessina's winning goal with neat hold-up play in the box.

Mancini's man-management, as well as his tactical shift away from classic Italian defensive catenaccio to a more possession and wing-based style — arguably more classically "Spanish" than the combative Spain side which impressed in the semifinal — has restored Italy's faith in its national team. At Wembley on Sunday, Mancini banished memories of one of the most painful defeats of his playing career: Sampdoria's extra-time loss to Barcelona in the European Cup final at the same stadium.

Mancini's strike partner that night was once again by his side: Gianluca Vialli, the " capo delegazione ," Italy's "delegation chief" who has overcome much more serious setbacks than lost football matches in recent years. In , the former Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea striker, who scored 16 goals in 59 appearances for Italy, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

I would wear a sweater under my shirt so others wouldn't notice [the weight loss], so that I would still be the same Vialli they knew. The cancer returned in before Vialli was eventually given the all-clear in April Mancini was one of the few close friends he confided in. Whether disappointment on the pitch with Sampdoria in or life-threatening illness, the " gemelli del gol ," the "goal twins," as they were known in their playing days, stick together and draw strength from despair.