Stephan El Shaarawy and Federico Bernardeschi could help Italy go far at Euro 2016… but fans aren’t happy Brazilian-born Thiago Motta has been handed No 10 shirt

Marcello Lippi won the 2006 World Cup as Italy coach. He tells a story about returning home. ‘I was in a bar having a coffee. A bloke came up to me and said ‘Congratulations on winning. But you got it wrong, I would have taken Christian Panucci to the tournament’.’ In short, someone always knows better.

Each selection, formation and performance is dissected. Perhaps you’ve heard that a thousand times before, but every millimetre is scrutinised much more in Italy than in the United Kingdom.

The build-up to Euro 2016 is no different, indeed it is has already delivered some monumental silliness. One of the biggest storms involved a much-maligned Brazilian… and his shirt.

Thiago Motta, once of Barcelona, a 2010 Treble winner with Jose Mourinho’s Inter and currently of Paris Saint-Germain, is in coach Antonio Conte’s squad. That has already upset some fans because of his age and lack of pace. But the real issue is that the 33-year-old will be wearing the sacred No 10

Social media and the press wasted no time pointing out that this jersey was once graced by legends Gianni Rivera, Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti. Entertainers Nicola Berti and Antonio Cassano have also been the No 10 at World Cups.

There was genuine disbelief that Motta, born in Brazil but an Azzurro since 2011, has been given the accolade. He’s a decent, feisty and tactically astute central midfielder, but has as much fantasy as a portion of mashed potato.

PSG’s Thiago Motta will wear the famous No 10 shirt  – something that has upset some fans

The criticism has been unforgiving. Some cheeky keyboard warriors claim the number is his top speed in kilometres per hour. Team-mate Daniele De Rossi defended the PSG enforcer, saying: ‘Those teasing Thiago on the web should come and try and beat him at kick-ups. Then wash their mouths out. Thiago has won everything and has experience at international level.’

Walter Zenga, who played in goal for the Azzurri at the 1990 World Cup was blunt: ‘We have been talking about a player’s number for two days. This is a country of crazy people.’ Injuries are another reason for concern about the four-times world champions’ midfield.

Bright young hope Marco Verratti, also of PSG, misses out due to a groin operation. Claudio Marchisio, the blue-eyed boy of the Italian media, is also absent. The Juventus man damaged knee ligaments in the spring.

Jorginho, so crucial to the stunning football which took Napoli to a second-place finish in Serie A, was axed at the last minute. No one knew exactly why, and when Conte drafted in spirited Juve squad member Stefano Sturaro instead, disbelief transformed into accusations of him showing bias towards the club he coached between 2011 and 2014.

Add the gradual decline of Andrea Pirlo, who plays in the low-impact MLS in America and isn’t going to France, and Italy’s central midfield options look a bit turgid.

It’s not all smiles in attack either. Generations who grew up watching Gigi Riva, Roberto Bettega, Paolo Rossi, Alessandro Altobelli, Toto Schilacci, Christian Vieri and Luca Toni are feeling flat. Graziano Pelle has had his moments with Southampton in the Premier League, but the big striker doesn’t entirely thrill his compatriots.

The selection of aggressive, hard-working Juve centre forward Simone Zaza has also been greeted with a shrug. As for Eder, another Brazilian who opted to play for Italy, his season crumbled into dust when he left Sampdoria for a life on the Inter bench in January. The talent is there, but he is in woeful form.

If all this is dragging you down, you can cheer yourself with one look at an Italian speciality: the defence. Just like a pack of gnarled, veteran bank robbers eyeing up a final heist, the rearguard is dusting itself off for one last job together.

The Juventus trio of Andrea Barzagli (35), Giorgio Chiellini (31) and Leonardo Bonucci (29) know each other inside out and reached the Champions League final in 2015. Behind them is Gianluigi Buffon, who gets better with age.

Sebastiano Vernazza of the Gazzetta dello Sport noted that Buffon, 38, is ‘taking on a seasoned handsomeness like Richard Gere. This Italy is dirty, nasty, a bit old: perfect for going far at Euro 2016. The pretty boys, good guys and youngsters rarely win.’

Conte’s squad is the joint-fourth oldest at Euro 2016, with an average age of 28 years and 10 months. Optimists are hoping this will imbue them with know-how and nerves of steel. And of course there is always a hearty serving of superstition surrounding them.

Cheery souls are pointing out Italy’s lowly FIFA ranking of 12th. In previous years when the team has been outside the top 10, they have performed well. In 1994 they were 16th but were a penalty shootout away from winning the World Cup.

An unsightly 14th position didn’t stop them coming agonisingly close to beating France in the final of Euro 2000. A decade ago the Azzurri arrived in Germany as the planet’s 13th-best side, and won the 2006 World Cup, and at Euro 2012 they made a mockery of their 12th-place ranking by reaching the final.

Conte isn’t the type to rely on coincidences or statistical quirks, and if his defensive unit can replicate their double-winning form from club duty with the Bianconeri, Italy have a fighting chance. This squad certainly has guts.

If exciting creative starlets Federico Bernardeschi, Lorenzo Insigne and Stephan El Shaarawy can sprinkle a bit of magic dust the Azzurri might make it to the final on July 10.

And Chelsea-bound Conte might enjoy his own ‘congrats boss, although I would have….’ chats with fans, just like his mentor Lippi.