Marcello Lippi and Fabio Cannavaro have added motivation for Italy's final group game against Slovakia at the World Cup on Thursday.

Both coach and captain have announced they will leave the national team after the tournament, and if the Azzurri can't win they could be eliminated.

"None of us want it to be the last game," Lippi said Wednesday at Ellis Park. "On a personal level, we all feel that way."

Midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has also announced he will retire from international play when Italy exits.

"It would be a shame to stop after this game," Cannavaro said. "We've trained well these last few days and we're ready."

Cannavaro enters with an Italy-record 135 appearances but is coming off two of the worst performances of his career. He was responsible in part for both goals Italy has allowed in its opening 1-1 draws with Paraguay and New Zealand.

"I always feel responsible, because our World Cup fortunes are on the line," said Cannavaro, who lifted the trophy after the 2006 victory and won the Golden Ball award. "I've always accepted positive criticism and I can also accept negative criticism. That's part of this job."

Lippi already left the national team after the title four years ago, then returned after Roberto Donadoni led Italy to the quarterfinals of the 2008 European Championship. Cesare Prandelli has already been announced as Lippi's successor.

"I think we deserve to advance, and a victory could alter our entire psychological approach," Lippi said.

Paraguay leads Group F with four points, Italy and New Zealand have two apiece and Slovakia is last with one.

If Italy wins, it will advance automatically, while a draw would require the Azzurri to hope that the other group game also finishes in a draw and Italy scores more goals than New Zealand does against Paraguay.

If both group matches end in draws with the same score, a coin toss will decide whether Italy or New Zealand advances.

Slovakia's best chance is to win and hope that Paraguay wins or draws.

Slovakia is playing in its first major tournament since the former Czechoslovakia divided in 1993. Coach Vladimir Weiss's side allowed a stoppage time equaliser in its opening 1-1 draw with New Zealand and lost 2-0 to Paraguay.

"Italy has won everything and will definitely be under a lot of pressure. But hopefully we can get some luck, because the first match was very unlucky," Weiss said. "One goal could decide everything."

Slovakia captain Marek Hamsik is coming off a stellar season with Napoli in Italy's Serie A, but has struggled in this tournament.

"Hamsik has never disappointed me. In my eyes he's the best player we have in Slovakia - that's why he's captain," Weiss said. "He didn't perform up to expectations in the first two games but hopefully tomorrow he can shine."

Slovakia defender Martin Petras also plays in Italy, with Cesena in Serie B.

Italy can comfort itself with the memory that it also drew its opening two matches in 1982, when it went on to win its third title. In fact, the Azzurri drew all three of their opening games in '82.

Lippi is comforting himself with the fact that Slovakia will have to go for a win, meaning Italy might not have to a face a team packing its defense for the first time at this tournament.

"They only have one option available," the coach said. "I don't think they'll close up like New Zealand."

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will miss his second consecutive match with a herniated disk, again leaving the starting job to backup Federico Marchetti. Midfielder Andrea Pirlo, meanwhile, could return from a left calf injury that has kept him out since a pre-tournament friendly with Mexico on June 3.

Still, the biggest problems for Italy have been attack.

The Azzurri have scored only five goals in their past seven matches and only one forward has scored in open play: Fabio Quagliarella in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in a pre-World Cup friendly.

Quagliarella is also the only Italy forward who hasn't played at the World Cup yet, and likely his only chance against Slovakia will be off the bench.

Lippi could bench Alberto Gilardino after the Fiorentina forward failed to create a single chance in either of the opening two games, with Giampaolo Pazzini or Antonio Di Natale the likely replacement.

Gattuso appears set to replace the ineffective Claudio Marchisio, with Lippi apparently set to switch to a 4-3-3 - which would be his third different formation in three games.

Lippi said Pirlo is not ready to start, but that he would be on the bench.

"We're all aware of what we need to do," Lippi said. "Now we just need to go out onto the pitch and carry it out."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP