9 – Luigi Di Biagio
A no-nonsense midfielder with very solid defensive skills, Luigi Di Biagio was a regular for the first part of the period we are considering. His call-ups cover the tournaments of 1998, 2000, and 2002, and while he may not have been the most spectacular player on the pitch, he always did his part.
His contributions were substantial, and he was most noteworthy in 1998 – for the good and for the bad. Good, because he scored a goal against Cameroon, exceeding the expectations of someone playing in his role. Bad, because he missed his penalty against France in the quarter-finals.
In his later tournaments he was less outstanding, but he was always a good midfielder, commendable for his spirit and efficiency. A precursor of Daniele De Rossi, perhaps – but played at half the volume.
