Rossi named to Italy 30-man roster

• by Ridge Mahoney  @ridgemax, May 13, 2014

[WORLD CUP 2014] New Jersey native Giuseppe Rossi, who recently returned to action with Fiorentina after missing four months because of damaged knee ligaments, is one of seven forwards chosen by Coach Cesare Prandellionon a preliminary squad of 30 players.

Mario Balotelli, who led Italy during qualifying play with five goals, is joined by Ciro Immobile of Torino. The 24-year-old Immobile topped Serie A this past season by scoring 22 goals and is contention for a spot on the final squad of 23 despite not debuting for the Azzurri until last March in a friendly against Spain. The team will gather at the national training center, Coverciano, on May 19.

World Cup 2014 Squads:
Group A: Brazil (23) | Cameroon (28) | Croatia | Mexico (23)
Group B: Australia | Chile (30) | Netherlands (30) | Spain (30)
Group C: Colombia (30) | Greece | Ivory Coast (28) | Japan (23)
Group D: Costa Rica (26) | England (23) | Italy (30) | Uruguay (25)
Group E: Ecuador | France (23) | Honduras (23) | Switzerland (23)
Group F: Argentina | Bosnia-Herzegovina (24) | Iran (28) | Nigeria (30)
Group G: Germany (30) | Ghana (26) | Portugal (30) | USA (30)
Group H: Algeria (30) | Belgium (24) | Russia (30) | South Korea (23)

Italy plays Ireland in a friendly in London May 31 and then faces Luxembourg June 4 in Perugia before traveling to Brazil. It faces England, Costa Rica and Uruguay in Group D, starting off against England June 14 in Manaus.

Italy Roster (30 Players):
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris SG/FRA).
Defenders: Ignazio Abate (Milan), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gabriel Paletta (Parma), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina), Andrea Ranocchia (Inter Milan).
Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris SG/FRA), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Romulo (Hellas Verona), Marco Verratti (Paris SG/FRA).
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Mattia Destro (Roma), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Fiorentina).