"If you lose, chains await you and we shall put you in jail. If you come back without the Cup, you will be hit by 58m Italians."
The Italian premier also offered coach Giovanni Trapattoni some advice.
He added: "Let your players practice many penalties and decide who must take them beforehand."
Berlusconi was referring to the fact the Italy lost the
1994 final to Brazil following a penalty shoot-out.
President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi told the team at a separate
reception that he still recalled the names of Italian
players who won the World Cup in 1934, when he was 13.
Ciampi said: "My first World Cup was in 1934 [played in Italy and won by Italy], I was just over 13 and I lived through that World Cup with great enthusiasm.
"I do not want to be your coach, but think only about the match being played on the field.
"Give everything you have when you are on the pitch, also considering that physical and mental energies are renewed very quickly when you are winning, they return as if by miracle.
"Never forget that the team you are to represent in Japan and Korea is called Italy and has a tricolour symbol on the shirts."
Team captain Paolo Maldini presented Ciampi and Berlusconi
with the blue national team jerseys, complete with their
names printed on them.
