2010 FIFA World Cup: World-Champion Italy Is at the Mountain Top

Cool. We're days away from the globe's next dosage of World Cup.

We enter the tournament as champions and it feels good.

So we're starting from the top. This can't be overlooked.

Nor can the high altitude of many of South Africa's playing fields. This year's World Cup is being played in a strange setting. It's not the environment the game's European and South American stars are accustomed to. For years experts have commented on Africa's rise in the world of football. Potentially there'll be no better place for a sub-Saharan team to excel.

Brazil is the only team to have won a World Cup outside of Europe and South America (winning 1994 in USA and 2002 in South Korea). In fact a European team has never lifted the coveted trophy outside of Europe.

United States' performance in finishing runner-up in last year's Confederation Cup highlights that South Africa offers a level playing field. It's an equaliser. Does this mean an outsider will win? Not necessarily.

Altitude and the strange environment will mean that the winner of the World Cup will be the team (a) in the best physical condition and (b) in a frame of mind to cohesively combat the environment.

So what does all this mean for the current world champions?

As in 2006, this year's World Cup will be won by the best tournament team and not the best team in the tournament. The latter point isn't a simple juxtaposition. To win a team needs to play to its strengths and minimise its weaknesses. They need to be crafted to survive a short period of intense pressure. They need to show that over a six week period they can forge a defence that cannot be penetrated and combinations that can score goals where required.

Therefore if Lippi can do today what he did four years ago, we're in good stead to have a good run in the World Cup.

What about the lack of stars? The tournament is going to miss out on a number of stars through injury or non-selection: Ronaldinho, Beckham, Van Nistlerooy, Cambiasso, Essien, Eto'o (?) and Ballack.

Let’s have trust in Lippi he has experience in winning World Cups (Carlos Parreira lead his native Brazil to honours in 1994 and is now in charge of South Africa).

For Italy there's no Totti, Cassano, Balotelli and Miccoli. The reason being Lippi wants team players. Players that can fuse together in a distant environment. Once you arrive in South Africa you're miles away from home so compatibility with team mates is key.

Lippi has avoided temperamentals. The reason being, he wants a high-performing team rather than a crew of errant stars. The latter won't win the World Cup. There's a global trend with managers keen on shielding their teams away from errant behaviour.

Is age a big deal? Not really. Depth, fitness and experience will be key. Don't forget the tournament is only on for six weeks. It's not about being able to endure a season. 50% of this year's Azzurri squad members were part of the team that succeeded in Berlin. That means that half of them understand the importance of playing as a unit for the length of the tournament. The other half have the youthful guile that many Italian-critics are deeming critical for success.

Many of the old hands have played very little football this season, this could be a positive as they'll potentially be fresh in being a part of the tournament's team.