Italy celebrated on Thursday after a convincing victory against World Cup hosts Germany. "Now we can believe a little more that we have a real chance of taking the title," coach Marcello Lippi said after the record 4-1 win in Florence.
"Three months ago when we beat the Netherlands we said we'd like the World Cup to start right away - three months later we have shown the same brilliant form and we can repeat, 'let the tournament begin'".
Midfielder Danilo Di Rossi, who scored the third goal, said "we're now one of the favourites" while Alessandro Del Piero, who got the fourth to take him just one strike short of Roberto Baggio's tally of 27, said: "It's a fine team. You can see Lippi's hand in the way we play".
Alberto Gilardino, who jumpstarted his best display in the Azzurri shirt with the first goal, said: "We're really getting into the groove. You have to put us in the frame."
Midfielder Simone Perrotta, back in the side after almost a year, said: "It was great fun, the team produced a great performance".
The euphoria in the Italy camp was highlighted by a quip from Luca Toni, author of the second goal.
It was Toni and not any of the Germans who brought the finest save of the night out of goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon - a bullet deflection the keeper rocketed across his line to keep out.
"I told Gigi I was so happy I would have celebrated that goal too," Toni said.
However, Buffon cautioned that "some of the Germans may not have been putting their all into their tackles, with a mind on upcoming Champions League matches". Captain Fabio Cannavaro sent a similar message: "Let's keep our feet on the ground and not start saying 'this is going to be our year'".
International friendlies are sometimes tepid affairs in which a merry-go-round of substitutions makes firm
conclusions difficult. But German coach Juergen Klinsmann had no doubts: "Italy taught us a lesson".
Former Germany striker Oliver Bierhoff, who played in Italy with Udinese, Inter and Milan, was equally glum.
"Now the people back home will be scared about the World Cup".
