The young and unknown heroes

Italy out of World Cup Coach Marcello Lippi ignored warnings that his seasoned squad was just too old. And for the first time in 34 years, Italy is out in the first round, beaten by a Slovakian team made up mostly of young unknowns.

Reporting from Johannesburg, South Africa —

Marcello Lippi had been warned this might happen. He had been told time and again by Italian fans and the Italian media that his team was too old, that it needed some younger, hungrier players.
Take Inter Milan's Mario Balotelli or Davide Santon, they said. Take Sampdoria's Antonio Cassano, they pleaded. Take anyone but that old gang of yours, they insisted.
But Lippi ignored all the warnings and all the advice, and on Thursday evening in Johannesburg, South Africa, he paid the price.
When referee Howard Webb blew the final whistle at Ellis Park, the scoreboard showed one of the World Cup's all-time remarkable results: Slovakia 3, Italy 2.

A team playing in its first World Cup, a team made up largely of players who were unknown internationally, had defeated the defending world champions and, in doing so, had knocked them out of the World Cup.

The final line on Italy: No wins, one loss, two ties.
Arrivederci, Marcello.

Coming just days after France had been sent home with its tail firmly between its legs, it marked the first time in World Cup history that the previous tournament's two finalists had been eliminated at the first hurdle.

The moment had Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon holding his head in his hands in disbelief. Buffon had to watch the match in growing frustration from the bench after being sidelined by a back injury in the opener.
On the field, forward Fabio Quagliarella was in tears. Lippi was too angry or embarrassed to stick around. He stalked off the field and into the waiting torture of the postgame press conference.
Once there, he regained his composure and his dignity. Unlike his French counterpart, Raymond Domenech, Lippi was ready to accept the blame.

"I take full responsibility," he said. "If the squad went out with fear in their legs and hearts, it means the coach did not prepare the match well tactically or psychologically."

Or perhaps it was simply a combination of relying too much on the players who had won the World Cup for him in 2006. No fewer than nine of the 23 men on the Azzurri roster are 30 or older.
That's exactly what happened, and it was the first time in 34 years, and only the third time in history, that Italy had bowed out in the first round.

"Going home in shame," said the headline in Gazzetta dello Sport, but that judgment was harsh. Italy was not shamed, merely defeated. The younger legs and fresher minds on Slovakia made the difference.

Twenty years ago is ancient history in soccer. Just look at the U.S. team then and now. For Italy, it is time to regroup and rebuild, time to consign the previous generation to its place in history.

Old warhorses such as defender Fabio Cannavaro and midfielder Gennaro Gattuso already have announced their retirement. Others will surely follow.