By Simon Evans
DUISBURG, Germany, July 5 - With characteristic
good timing, Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro will make his 100th
appearance for his country in Sunday's World Cup final.
"I knew this could be my last World Cup and asked my team
mates to help me reach that target of 100 games. I have to say
that they have delivered for me and in the best possible way,"
said 32-year-old Cannavaro.
Central defender Cannavaro has been in outstanding form
throughout the tournament but saved his best display for
Tuesday's 2-0 semi-final win over Germany in Dortmund.
Cannavaro hardly put a foot wrong in Italy's win, making a
series of vital interceptions and clean challenges to keep out
Germany's forwards.
"What a game that was!" he told a news conference on
Wednesday, "We kept our calm throughout but I had a really good
feeling about that game.
"The really nice thing is that again it was players who came
off the bench who made the difference for us.
"That shows that we have a fantastic squad and that there
are no (internal) rivalries," added Cannavaro.
'NICE COINCIDENCE'
Italy coach Marcello Lippi said he was delighted that his
captain would reach the milestone of 100 caps in the final.
"It is a really nice coincidence. I pointed out to him
before the World Cup that he was on 93 caps and that if we went
all the way there were seven games to play," said Lippi, who was
full of praise for the defender's displays.
"He is having a fantastic World Cup, in his position he is
the number one absolutely. He is the best in the world at the
moment," said the Italy coach, who was his boss too at Napoli in
1994.
Cannavaro's 99 games include his appearances at the World
Cup four years ago where Italy lost to co-hosts South Korea and
then their disappointing exit in the group stage at Euro 2004 in
Portugal.
The failure to make the most of their potential in those
tournaments has, Cannavaro said, fired his desire for success in
Germany.
"We've accumulated a lot of anger after two major
disappointments. First, we lost to the hosts in 2002 and that
was dubious and then we lost in Portugal.
"We put that rage to good use on the pitch and you can see
that at the World Cup -- we are turning that anger into
something positive," he said.
Cannavaro also revealed that after the game he and his team
mates had enjoyed a sing-song with Italian Prime Minister Romano
Prodi.
"We sang a few songs together in the dressing room, we sang
Oh Sole Mio," said Cannavaro.