Italy coach Marcello Lippi is confident his veteran World Cup winners can go all the way again in South Africa next year.
Speaking ahead of Italy's Confederations Cup debut against the United States Monday, Lippi batted off suggestions the team who won the World Cup in 2006 might be getting over the hill.
''Perhaps I wouldn't choose these players for a (club) championship but for a 30-40 day tournament they're perfect, they've still got the right fire,'' he said.
Italy's supposed age gap compared to other sides was not in fact that big, he pointed out.
''Our average age is 28.5, just a year more than the Brazilians and two more than Spain,'' he said.
The coach was also inpatient with suggestions Italy was less attractive and effective than its two main rivals here, South American champions Brazil and European champs Spain.
''I don't like hearing about gaps compared to other sides. We're the world champions. Spain won something after 40 years...Brazil plays nice football but often goes out at the World Cup''.
''We, on the other hand, will emulate the Germany of the past: we'll get to the final''.
In Monday night's match, Lippi is expected to field almost a carbon copy of the side that was held 1-1 by the US at the 2006 World Cup, with the exception of captain Fabio Cannavaro who is nursing a knock.
The US were the only team Italy did not beat in Germany three years ago.
Vincenzo Iaquinta and Mauro Camoranesi will flank either Luca Toni or Alberto Gilardino in attack ahead of a midfield trio of Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso and Danilo De Rossi.
De Rossi is still remembered in America for a nasty elbow in the face that bloodied Brain McBride and led to a four-match ban.
McBride is no longer in the US team but Italy will again be facing tricky forwards like the LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley of Scottish giants Rangers, who scored the US's goal in 2006.
Major League Soccer's top scorer Conor Casey will be another threat for a defence anchored, in Cannavaro's absence, by Juventus pair Nicola Legrottaglie and Giorgio Chiellini.
Lippi also singled out for praise midfield linchpin Michael Bradley, son of US coach Bob Bradley, saying he was ''very good''.
Italy will be keen to get their Confederations Cup campaign off on the right foot before matches against Egypt on June 18 and Brazil on June 21.
But even though Lippi is eager to avenge February's 2-0 defeat to Brazil in London, he will be aware that running out winners of Group B will spell a semi-final clash against Group A winners - almost certainly Spain after their sensational 5-0 win Sunday against a New Zealand side Italy struggled to beat in a pre-tournament friendly.
Italy may prefer to avoid the dazzling Spanish and meet the runner-up from Group A - either South Africa, New Zealand or Iraq.
But a possible final clash with Spain doesn't frighten Lippi, who recalled that Italy's win at Germany 2006 was based on solid defence and tactical soundness rather than spectacular play.
''You know I couldn't care less about pretty teams,'' he told reporters, saying that ''my old men will get the job done.''
