Franco Baresi has backed Italy to do well at this summer’s World Cup, and thinks that the England game was the best of the tournament so far.
The Azzurri beat the Three Lions in their Group D opener on Saturday in Manaus, overcoming Roy Hodgson’s men 2-1 in the jungle.
Franco Baresi has backed Italy to do well at this summer’s World Cup, and thinks that the England game was the best of the tournament so far.
The Azzurri beat the Three Lions in their Group D opener on Saturday in Manaus, overcoming Roy Hodgson’s men 2-1 in the jungle.
And the former captain of the national team has insisted that with Cesare Prandelli at the helm, they can go far.
“I really like the ideas that Prandelli has for this Italy team,” he told Il Mattino. “We are trying to keep the ball and control the game that way.
“The Italy-England game was the best of the World Cup so far, for me – as well as Spain-Netherlands of course!
“We look really strong in midfield. With De Rossi, Pirlo and Verratti there is great quality in the middle of the park – that’s our great strength.
“Now we just have to focus on the Costa Rica game and try to gain passage into the next round.
“The World Cup is as tough as it gets. We just have to focus on the next game, and that’s it. Anything else would just be a mistake.”
Baresi then commented on his most painful World Cup memory as a player – the final defeat to Brazil at USA ’94.
“I’ve deleted that from my memory! I try not to think about that anymore.”