Italy Wins!

It wasn't pretty, but Italy managed to defeat France 2-0 to progress to the quarterfinals where they'll take on Spain. Spain is tough, with a young, good looking team and goal scoring machine David Villa. And we'll also be down two of our key starters because they drew their second yellow cards. But at least the Azzurri advance!

It was in no small part to our Keeper who just keeps giving. I even noticed a sign reading "Buffon Santo Subito" (translation -- Buffon Saint Soon.) And Gigi did make a few amazing saves, but that's not so surprising. A pleasant surprise was Cassano, who dazzled with some dribbling but passed effortlessly, even though Luca Toni just could not convert any of his chances. Cassano also stayed away from the red card, which did make an appearance and crippled the French when one of them tackled Luca Toni. The French went down a man for the rest of the match, and it was Andrea Pirlo who capitalized on the penalty kick and scored Italy's first goal.

This makes me double happy, as Pirlo deserves some limelight for himself, and because he's also one of the D&G models that I'd hoped to revisit. I'd already shown you Rino Gattuso and his snarly stance in the other two photos, and that doesn't change in these. But his Milan teammate Andrea Pirlo is also featured in these shots. Gattuso and Pirlo are also the two players that will be out of the lineup against Spain due to yellow cards. But what cracks me up about Pirlo is how he sort of seems to be slinking down and back or with his head bowed as though he doesn't feel the most dignified. Such as here.


Also featured in that ad is Gianluca Zambrotta, who played veryvery well today, so I'm done being mad at him. The only thing better than Gianluca Zambrotta's name is his oiled bod. Here's one more shot, with Pirlo really hiding in the background.


But D&G obviously didn't get their fill of the Milan midfielders and this year decided to do a calendar of the entire AC Milan team. (They do the formal dress for Milan, and for the Azzurri.) Photographed by Mariano Vivanco, Pirlo shows he's just as smoldery in his clothes as out.


But that's just not enough for D&G when it comes to Italian footballers. Azzurri defender Fabio Grosso appears in a whole different underwear campaign for them. More on that later.