© EuroFootball.com
Italian national team defender, who took over the captain's armband, stated that he intends to erase from memory the sad memories of the last European Championship with a successful performance in Portugal. In the tournament held in Belgium and the Netherlands, "Squadra Azzura" lost to the French in the final, conceding the decisive goal in extra time.
"We still feel the pain," noted Cannavaro. "When the desired trophy is almost in your hands and it is taken away from you at the last moment, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. The past season was disappointing for Italian clubs, but there are also positive sides to it. We had more time to prepare, without expending energy in various tournaments.
The fact that our group rivals won their qualifying groups shows a lot about them. Bulgaria, Sweden, and Denmark have assembled strong squads, so we do not expect any easy walks. As for me, I am convinced - this European Championship will be my last. There are exceptions, but I believe I will end my national team career after the 2006 World Cup in Germany," said the 30-year-old defender.
