Italy coach Marcello Lippi has told injured Monaco striker Christian Vieri not to abandon his dream of playing a starring role in this summer's World Cup.
The powerful forward sustained a nasty knee injury at the end of March and pundits had put his chances of making the Azzurri squad as low. But Lippi, who is also waiting for inspirational AS Roma star Francesco Totti to return to club action after breaking
his leg in February, is not so pessimistic.
"Vieri is a little behind Totti. He has not recovered enough to be able to train intensively," Lippi said Tuesday at an Italy squad training camp in Rome. "But I tell Christian to hope until the last. Up until May 15 (the day the names of the World Cup squad members must be submitted), everyone has the right to live the dream".
Vieri, 32, moved from AC Milan to Monaco in January looking to regain the form needed to win himself a place in the Azzurri squad. He had spent most of his time before Christmas on Milan's subs bench.
But Vieri has only played eight games for the French top-flight club so far, scoring three goals. The Italian sport's media is focusing much attention on which strikers will go to Germany. Lippi called up in-form Milan star Filippo Inzaghi to his 29-man squad this week, as well as Livorno striker Cristiano Lucarelli and Empoli's Francesco Tavano, who have scored 19 and 18 goals respectively in Serie A this season.
This is in addition to the three strikers who are assumed to have guaranteed places in the World Cup squad - Fiorentina's Luca Toni, the league's top-scorer with 28 goals, Milan's Alberto Gilardino and Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero.
For Inzaghi, who has 62 caps and has scored 24 goals for Italy, the call-up is a return to the Azzurri set-up after a two-year absence caused by a string of injuries. "Ever since I've resumed playing, getting back into the national squad has been a fixed aim," said the 32-year-old, who scored both goals in Milan's 2-0 victory over Livorno at the weekend.
"But I shouldn't get carried away because only 23 players will go to Germany and there are lots of good forwards here".
Lucarelli said he felt like a competitor in "Miss Italy", when asked to assess his chances of making the World Cup squad.
"My way of presenting myself as a candidate (for a squad place) is by scoring goals. Goals are my best adverts," said Lucarelli, a hero with many fans for turning down lucrative offers from big sides to stay with hometown club Livorno. "I'm here because of the 73 goals I've scored over the last three seasons. I think that two of us (Lucarelli and Udinese striker Vincenzo Iaquinta) will be fighting for one place, because Inzaghi is sure to go".
Pundits expect Lippi to include five strikers in his World Cup squad, or six if Totti recovers.
Lippi said he is confident Totti, who is expected to return to competitive action on Sunday for Roma's Serie A clash with Treviso, will make it. "I'm optimistic about Totti," the former Juventus coach said.
"He is going through a period of great enthusiasm (about the return), but now is only the start of the difficult period. He'll meet opponents who won't be so soft with him". Things do not look good for young talent Antonio Cassano, who is struggling to get into the Real Madrid side after moving to Spain in January. When asked about Cassano's prospects, Lippi just snapped that he had talked about this subject before.
Lippi's 29-man group does not include the Roma and Inter members of the Azzurri squad - Roma midfielders Daniele De Rossi and Simone Perrotta and Inter defender Marco Materazzi - who are engaged in the first leg of the Italian Cup final Wednesday.
The coach said he has a pretty clear idea about the names of the 23 players who will be going to Germany. Italy's World Cup campaign starts against Ghana on June 12.
On Tuesday the Azzurri World Cup wardrobe designed by Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana was presented.
The formal outfit is made up of a dark blue wool-and-silk suit, worn with a shirt and tie of the same colour; while the informal ensemble features a blazer, dark blue jeans and white cotton shirt.
