Gianluigi Buffon: Italy are a better team than England

Buffon pictured during an Italy training session

The World Cup match between Italy and England is more than two weeks away but Azzuri goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has stoked the fire by claiming that his country are much better than the Three Lions.

The veteran shot stopper, who has earned a record 139 caps for his country, has stated that his country’s team are better than all their Group D counterparts and will surely march forward in the tournament.

The World Cup winner was quoted as saying: “At this moment, Italy are the team who can think about going the furthest compared with England and Uruguay - at least at the start of the tournament.

“I think that our national team has become one that is reliable and that manages to win the matches it should win.

“The favourites are Brazil, Spain, Germany and Argentina. We are slightly further back.”

The Juventus man expects Italy to reach the quarter-finals but hopes they can replicate their 2006 form and reach the finals. England manager Roy Hodgson has stated that his team will hold their own in the World Cup but the fans aren’t convinced due to the Three Lions’ past history in the tournament.

Buffon added: “From the quarter-finals onwards we can say it has been a good World Cup and a positive tournament.

“But naturally you are never fully satisfied. I don’t feel as if I can say today with certainty that we can reach the final.

“Sometimes we manage to cause surprises in the games in which we don’t start as favourites, giving the opposition some headaches.

“I’m thinking about Spain, with whom we have drawn twice recently and Brazil, against whom we lost but played a great match.”

Italy and England are set to lock horns in the World Cup on the 14th of June.