Fabio Cannavaro: Italy's defensive rock

Fabio Cannavaro received recognition for his outstanding performance in leading Italy to World Cup glory when he was handed the FIFA World Player of the Year award to add to his European Footballer of the Year honour. The imperious Italy captain was a rock at the heart of a defence which leaked just two goals in seven matches - an own goal and a penalty - on their way to lifting the trophy for a fourth time in Germany.

Cannavaro's strengths are his vision, his timely interceptions and precise tackling, and despite not being exceptionally tall the 33-year-old Neapolitan is excellent in the air.

Hard but fair, he was not cautioned in the entire World Cup.

Cannavaro began his professional career with hometown club Napoli, where he had been a ballboy, and made his Serie A debut against Juventus in March 1993.

The club were crippled by financial problems at the time following the departure of legendary Argentine striker Diego Maradona and were forced to sell him to Parma two years later.

Playing alongside France international Lilian Thuram and in front of current Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon, Cannavaro developed his talent and helped Parma finish second in 1997, their highest placing in the top division.

In the 1998-99 season, he helped Parma win the UEFA Cup and Italian Cup.

Shortly after Italy's triumphant World Cup campaign, Cannavaro left to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Cannavaro is regarded as a role model in Italy, but his clean-cut image was tarnished last year when Italian state broadcaster RAI showed a video in which he is seen using a drip on the eve of the 1999 UEFA Cup final.

The film showed Cannavaro having a needle pushed into his arm in his Moscow hotel room.

The substance used was later confirmed as neoton, a heart-strengthening drug which is not on the World Anti Doping Agency's (WADA) list of banned substances. Parma beat French club Marseille 3-0 in the final.

--AFP