Luca Toni was almost just as likely as most of us were 3 years ago to play in a World Cup. He was playing for Brescia and nobody would have bet on him being in the Italy’s World Cup team in Germany. But he proved everybody wrong.

However three successful seasons at first Palermo and then Fiorentina saw his dream of playing at the FIFA World Cup come true and he repaid Italy coach Marcello Lippi’s judgement in style against the Ukrainians.

“It was important that Lippi kept his confidence in me,” said Toni, Serie A’s leading scorer last season with 31 goals.

“I have to thank him for giving me this chance, especially as not many people still had faith in me. Its a wonderful moment for me.”

Toni is not the only Italian FIFA World Cup hero to have had little faith placed in him by the omnipresent critics surrounding the Azzurri and proved them wrong.

Source: WCoffsite