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#WorldCupRank: No. 45 Daniele De Rossi

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caption:Marshaling Italy's midfield is Daniele De Rossi's strong suit
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No. 45 Daniele De Rossi, AS Roma/Italy

Why he's ranked: De Rossi was a relative novice on the international stage when he claimed World Cup glory with Italy in 2006, but he has confirmed in the eight years since that he deserves to be hailed among the modern game's midfield greats. Reliable, powerful and as consistent as they come, the Azzurri need this talisman to shine in Brazil.

Key stat: Has scored at least one goal in eight competitions: Serie A, Italian Cup, Italian Super Cup, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA European Championship, FIFA Confederations Cup, and FIFA World Cup.

#INSERT type:image caption: De Rossi is a tactically shrewd defender and a natural leader for Italy.END#

What the experts say: "He's the warrior at the gates of the midfield. It may be an overused tag, but with him it applies. A tenacious runner who plays the game with emotion and intensity (sometimes too much, as evidenced by one too many red cards). At his best, his games are tactical master classes in terms of clogging passing lanes and winning back stray balls. He also chips in with a fair number of goals -- both from distance and with his head -- and he's a versatile natural leader who can step into defense when needed." - Gabriele Marcotti

"On his right calf, De Rossi has a 'thou shall not pass' tattoo depicting one player sliding in on another. If he takes the ball off you, he has the range of passing to make you pay. One of the great all-round midfielders of the past decade, De Rossi is tactically very shrewd. He has played as a centre-back for Italy and also performs the Sergio Busquet's parachute role to good effect." - James Horncastle

What You Think:

Other Articles:
- ESPN FC Blogs: Italy
- The countdown: Our Top 50 players of the World Cup

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