Italy icon Fabio Cannavaro has set his sights on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after an ankle injury smashed his dream of leading the World Cup holders to Euro 2008 glory.
Speaking a day after a training ground mishap with fellow defender Giorgio Chiellini left him with torn ligaments, Cannavaro lifted the mood of the Italy camp with his trademark optimism.
''You're going to have to put up with me for another two years,'' quipped the smiling skipper, who will be 35 in September.
''I was thinking of leaving after the European championships but now getting to the World Cup has become a challenge''.
Cannavaro, who will be operated on in Vienna on Wednesday, said that despite gloomy forecasts he had never feared Sunday's injury would end his career.
He said he had had to comfort Chiellini ''who was a wreck'' after clattering into his captain, blaming himself for the injury.
''It wasn't his fault. And we don't want to lose two players rather than just one,'' said the Real Madrid stopper.
The World Cup hero, nicknamed The Berlin Wall for his Player of the Year winning performances at Germany 2006, said he would be staying on at Euro 2008 ''to support Italy and help it at moments of difficulty''.
Fiorentina's Alessandro Gamberini has been drafted in to replace Cannavaro in the squad but Marco Materazzi is widely expected to take his position on the field.
The captain's arm-band has been handed to goalkeeper Gigi Buffon.
Italy's first match in the so-called Group of Death is against the Netherlands on June 9.
It then meets Romania and France on June 13 and 17 respectively.
