Some of the less heralded teams in the Italian top flight are also getting into the act. Sebastian Giovinco is having a breakthrough season with Parma, while Davide Santon will now get first team football each and every week with Cesena. The young talents that Italy has to offer are finally getting opportunities to showcase their ability, something that should be very exciting for fans on the peninsula.

Those who had a chance to watch the 1-1 draw with Germany got a first-hand look at this phenomenon.

The players who managed to see the field boasted an average age of 25 years old. (This includes Mario Balotelli and Andrea Pirlo, who would have definitely been included if they were fit). Compare this to the average age of 28.4 for Marcello Lippi’s squad in South Africa, and there are reasons for optimism.

Ranocchia and Bonucci are 22 and 23 respectively, while Matri and Pazzini are both 26 years of age. With Santon and Balotelli both under 21, and Giovinco coming in at 24 years old, the future looks bright for Prandelli. Combine these players with the veteran group of De Rossi, Pirlo and Buffon, and suddenly the unimaginative football that plagued the final years of Lippi’s reign are a thing of the past. With the creative force of Cassano and Giuseppe Rossi in the mix, the capability to not only win, but entertain while doing so becomes a realistic one.

While the talent mill may not be producing youngsters at the same rate as their opponents on Wednesday evening, the foundation for a successful team is evident. There is no doubt that Cesare Prandelli has much work to do if the team is to be a legitimate contender for upcoming major tournaments. But given the rate at which he has already turned over the squad from his predecessor Marcello Lippi, he is going in the right direction.

Suddenly Oliver Bierhoff’s indictment on Italian football does not seem to ring as true.