Fabio Grosso, who converted the decisive penalty kick in Italy's World Cup victory four years ago, has been cut from the Azzurri's squad for South Africa.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi announced on Tuesday the 28-man team he will bring to Italy's pre-World Cup training camp.

Also cut from the preliminary 30-man squad was midfielder Antonio Candreva, Grosso's teammate at Juventus.

Grosso's penalty in the shootout against France decided the 2006 World Cup final, but the left back has struggled at Juventus this season.

Nine other members of the 2006 World Cup squad are still part of the team.

Italy will begin training in the Alpine resort of Sestriere on Sunday.

Located at an elevation of 2,000 metres, the camp in Sestriere should help prepare the Azzurri to play games at high altitude in South Africa.

Lippi will have to submit his final 23-man list by June 1. The Azzurri then have friendlies against Mexico on June 3 in Brussels and against Switzerland two days later in Geneva.

In South Africa, the World Cup holders open against Paraguay on June 14 and also face New Zealand and Slovakia in Group F.

Italy squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Morgan De Sanctis (Napoli), Federico Marchetti (Cagliari), Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo).

Defenders: Salvatore Bocchetti (Genoa), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus), Mattia Cassani (Palermo), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gianluca Zambrotta (AC Milan).

Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Andrea Cossu (Cagliari), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan).

Forwards: Marco Borriello (AC Milan), Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal).

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