Know Your Enemy: Italy

In goal, Juventus man Gianluigi Buffon maintains elite status. He will be covered by a back line that is full of experience and an equal amount of talent with instantly recognizeable names like Cannavaro, Zambrotta, and Grosso. They also mix in some emerging stars like Juventus center back Giorgio Chiellini and Liverpool right back Andrea Dossena with up and coming starlet Davide Santon of Inter Milan.

The midfield will be comprised of stalwarts like Pirlo, Gattuso, and Camorenesi who will bring young and technically gifted backup in Fiorentina playmaker Riccardo Montolivo, AS Roma's tenacious tackler Daniele De Rossi and Sampdoria's Angelo Palombo (AKA - The New Gattuso).

The Azzurri will have an abundance of flexibility up front with established target men like like Luca Toni and Aberto Gilardino. Toni will be especially motivated to further stamp his place as Italy's top man after some recently underwhelming performances. Vincenzo Iaquinta brings his all-around game while Fabio Quagliarella of Napoli and Simone Pepe of Udinese bring pace and agility to the attacking stable.

One name U.S. supporters will be quite familiar with is that of budding Italian star Giuseppe Rossi. Born in Tea Neck, New Jersey to Italian immigrant parents, Rossi played at various levels for the United States before ultimately deciding to chase his dream of playing for the country of his parents' birth. At the time, the winger was seen as a player who could be an important piece to the American soccer ranks, but only a bit player in the hyper competitive Italian national scene. Recently however, Giuseppe has become a bit of a revelation for the Italians and looks to be emerging as a permanent fixture for the reigning World Cup champions. Still, this decision left a bucket of lemons worth of bitterness in the mouths of many U.S. soccer supporters and seeing his name on the scoring sheet against the Red, White and Blue is the last thing they'll want to stomach.