Fabio Cannavaro's presence alongside Alessandro Nesta assures Italy of possibly the finest central defensive pairing in the world.

He has often been underrated, with team-mates Nesta and Paolo Maldini grabbing most of the praise when things go well at the back for the Azzurri.

Solid and tough in the tackle, Cannavaro's man marking skills are also exceptional.

He was arguably Italy's best defensive player during the last World Cup.

His debut came in 1997 against Northern Ireland and he has been a first-team regular ever since, amassing well over 50 caps.

He made his Serie A debut for Napoli aged 20, before moving to Parma where he won Italian Cup and Uefa Cup winners' medals in 1999.