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<P class=big>Captain Fabio Cannavaro has admitted Italy won the World Cup playing poorly.
The Azzurri defied the critics to reach the final of the tournament this summer and eventually defeated a highly fancied French team on penalties.
While it has been no surprise that Les Bleus claimed they were the better side Cannavaro's revelations have come as a shock.
Italy made a poor start to their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign with a draw at home to Lithuania and 3-1 defeat to France in Paris, and Cannavaro has not been unsurprised by the team's form.
"At the World Cup we won, but playing poorly," he revealed.
"We are not Brazil and we don't play the best football: we make the most of our qualities.
"In Germany we didn't put on a spectacle and now, because we won the title, we still aren't obliged to play champagne football.
"Obviously everyone expects the same performances as in the summer so if you fail the critics flock round."
Roberto Donadoni had the tough task of succeeding Marcello Lippi as coach of the world champions after the tournament, and has taken his fair share of flak so far.
But the Azzurri moved up to third in Group B with a 2-0 win over Ukraine on Saturday, and Cannavaro admits the team were brought together by the pressure cooker situation.
"We never feared Ukraine before, but then after the two matches went badly we had to pick ourselves up," he explained.
"Luckily we found our way back to winning ways and we hope to continue that against Georgia.
"Against Ukraine I liked the spirit of our dressing room, it was the same as the World Cup.
"We are close to the new coach because he has endured a lot of criticism, but he must not be evaluated until the end of the period and not because he is young."
Donadoni's men take on Georgia away on Wednesday in their last qualifier of the year.
The Azzurri defied the critics to reach the final of the tournament this summer and eventually defeated a highly fancied French team on penalties.
While it has been no surprise that Les Bleus claimed they were the better side Cannavaro's revelations have come as a shock.
Italy made a poor start to their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign with a draw at home to Lithuania and 3-1 defeat to France in Paris, and Cannavaro has not been unsurprised by the team's form.
"At the World Cup we won, but playing poorly," he revealed.
"We are not Brazil and we don't play the best football: we make the most of our qualities.
"In Germany we didn't put on a spectacle and now, because we won the title, we still aren't obliged to play champagne football.
"Obviously everyone expects the same performances as in the summer so if you fail the critics flock round."
Roberto Donadoni had the tough task of succeeding Marcello Lippi as coach of the world champions after the tournament, and has taken his fair share of flak so far.
But the Azzurri moved up to third in Group B with a 2-0 win over Ukraine on Saturday, and Cannavaro admits the team were brought together by the pressure cooker situation.
"We never feared Ukraine before, but then after the two matches went badly we had to pick ourselves up," he explained.
"Luckily we found our way back to winning ways and we hope to continue that against Georgia.
"Against Ukraine I liked the spirit of our dressing room, it was the same as the World Cup.
"We are close to the new coach because he has endured a lot of criticism, but he must not be evaluated until the end of the period and not because he is young."
Donadoni's men take on Georgia away on Wednesday in their last qualifier of the year.
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