We are just an excuse away to argue about any random topic.
It could be sport, politics, food or even the American economy!
We just love to disagree, and of course, all of it happens over food!
Just the way cricket is largely considered as more than a sport in India, football-'Calcio' as it is called in Italy, holds a place of utmost importance in the Italian folklore.
Their national team, the Azzurri-as they are called owing to the blue coloured jersey that they don-are a constant topic of expert opinions over a coffee bar or even at a pizzeria.
Italy have serious football prestige and pedigree and the National team is considered as one of the powerhouses of World football, having won the FIFA World Cup four times.
However, recent past makes for a meek picture as Italy's national team has been in chaos since their shock elimination in the World Cup play-offs to Sweden in Autumn of 2017.
But why them! Why not the Germans, the Spanish or Brazil for that matter?
It was 2003 when I got to travel to Italy as a part of a cultural exchange program by Rotary International. As I was staying with a family in the northern Italian city of Milan, I got to watch an Italian football league match between local rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan. It was a lifetime experience for me to witness a contest of such magnitude.
All the great Italian players of that generation played for either AC Milan or Inter Milan.
The likes of Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta, Andrea Pirlo, Fabio Cannavaro or the indomitable Genarro Gattuso were role models for many aspiring footballers world over, and I was no exception.
As a teenager, I followed them in every possible manner and idolized them.
The way the Italian players played, dressed or even ate mattered to me and hence the love for the Italian culture grew at the rate of Notts.
The national team had its fair share of ups and downs but my admiration for them remained intact and to date, I'm a proud Azzurri tifosi!
"Like old-time tacticians, Italy quietly went about its business through the opening rounds before beating hosts Germany in the semifinals and France in the final via penalty shootout."
