Antonio Cassano of Italy during the international friendly match between Italy and Russia at Letzigrund on June 1, 2012 in Zurich, Switzerland
While the Italians yet again go into a major tournament with a scandal hanging over them – allegations of match-fixing – you can bet that Antonio Cassano will be making the most of his opportunity. Known for an uneven temperament (as his former paymasters in Italy and Spain will tell you,) the 29-year-old Milan striker has been given a second chance of sorts, as he was recently diagnosed with heart problems and thought his career was over. But he successfully underwent surgery. He’s been an integral part of new coach Cesare Prandelli’s plans over the past couple of years and scored some crucial goals as Italy romped through its qualification campaign. So long as Italy don’t suffer further group heartache as they did at the 2010 World Cup, Cassano might just shake off his “Antonio il terribile” reputation.