Cannavaro: 'it wasn't my fault'

The Azzurri went behind after just seven minutes when Cannavaro once again struggled to deal with a set-piece, allowing Shane Smeltz to score although it did look as if the All Whites striker was offside.

“It's not my fault,” he said. “Don't say that this goal is also my fault because it isn't.

“It was a second ball that hit me, it wasn't my mistake just like against Paraguay when De Rossi should have followed his man, but they have put all the blame on me.”

Cannavaro also accused New Zealand of playing dirty and believes FIFA need to stamp such play out of the game.

“Fallon should have been sent off while Reid made a show of one of my tackles. What's more they tell me that their goal was offside.

“It's useless that FIFA show us DVDs on what constitutes fair play and what doesn't if they send us referees who allow everything.”