Ah you mean they will get dodgy referring decisions because their home game was on its knees with scandal, which if was any other country would have been barred from the  international game? No that's part of the reason i know they will not win the world cup.

Decisions? While they were benefitted against Australia by that penalty, something no one can deny, I can't recall any other "favour". There was not a single one in the final, that's for sure

I agree that the final was fair but as my memory serves they had more than one odd call in the games running up to it, quite a few in the Australia game not just the Pen. Although if not mistaken video evidence was used (although denied) for the sending off of Zidane. right decision, if found in the wrong way according to FIFA rules

No, the 4th official saw it and reported it, while that's not common, it's not unheard of.

And I seem to recall a VERY clear penalty against Germany that wasn't awarded for Italy, that would have qualified them for the final without the need for extra time

Ah yes the game where Italy dived, scratched and really were lucky to not have players sent off but i don't recall the pen that was not. Great game though as my memory serves. Shame we will not see Pirlo play like that again though, moments of genius. Im not saying they were a bad team, they had a lot of lucky brakes. Who will replace those great players? no one but those same players, 4 years older. Italy will not win it again and im willing to bet alot on that.

I'm not saying they're the top candidates (those are Spain and Brazil), but they aren't a team to just discard. And I bet you anything that no team wants to face them after the Round of 16. They have a combination of history, name and players that makes them an eternal candidate. Pirlo may not be on their best, but he's still Pirlo. And they still have Buffon, Cannavaro, Gilardino, Grosso, Iaquinta, Camoranesi, plus promising new players like Chiellini, Marchisio and Pazzini (and I think they should call Balotelli)

If I were a manager, I'd want to avoid Italy as much as possible

If I had the choice I'd rather play against Italy than against England, Netherlands, Spain or Brazil, but it's not possible to avoid good teams in the world cup.

And let's not forget, that you don't need to play the best football to win the title

I don't know. I'd pick Italy over Brazil, and maybe over Spain, but definitely not over England. England, while a team with great players and in a good form, it's not a team that instills you fear of knowing you'll face them, it's not a team that has something we here call "cup spirit", which is the chance that have some teams of beating you in a game just with their history and a bit of luck, even if they're playing horribly. Brazil has it in spades, Italy and Germany have it too, you as German know it very well when you beat us in 2006 even though we played better that game, and then you suffered it against Italy in the semis. England may very well have great matches, but I still think they'll falter in the road. It's the only reason while I'm not fully convinced of Spain, while the football they're playing is above any other nation, that they lack that kind of spirit, luck, whatever has made me not consider it a sure fire for the cup.

Then again, the WC has proved time and again that the biggest candidate never wins the cup. France and Argentina were top candidates in 2002, both huge failures, Brazil had entered almost as bad as we did this WC and won. In 2006, Brazil was the only candidate to be considered, and their failure was massive, while France and Italy that weren't considered as top candidates reached the final. It may very well be the case here again

As for the last sentence, I fully agree. Look who won the WC in 1954

I have no idea who will win. But it's kinda weird that u put germany as a choice & not France or Italy instead when they clearly have bigger names in their squad + were in the finals last world cup.

What is this here FIFA, and were the heck is the US on the list?