Italy - You Out

• Date of Birth: 1 April 1982
• Height: 188 cm
• Shirt number: 11
• Position: Forward
• Current club: Ankaragucu (TUR)
• International Caps: 71
• International Goals: 20
• First international: Germany - Slovakia (29 May 2001)

Club History

• Lille OSC (FRA): From 2008 to 2010
• 1. FC Nürnberg (GER): From 2003 to 2008
• Slovan Bratislava (SVK): From 1999 to 2003

Slovakia survived a late onslaught to beat Italy 3-2, which sent them into the Round of 16 and eliminated their illustrious opponents. A Robert Vittek double and a stoppage-time lob from substitute Kamil Kopunek proved enough for Vladimir Weiss’s team to advance as Group F runners-up, after late goals from Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella had ensured the tensest of finishes to a thrilling contest in Johannesburg.

The mission for the two sides at Ellis Park was simple: Italy needed a win to guarantee a place in the knockout phase, while Slovakia required victory to advance. The pressure was, therefore, on the four-time world champions,
who had been finding goals hard to come by in their opening two matches, and it showed in their play. Disappointingly for the Italians, the visionary Andrea Pirlo was only fit enough to make the bench for this vital encounter, but Gennaro Gattuso and Di Natale were handed starts.