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Veteran Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon expects his side to progress from Group D at the World Cup and has his sights set on the latter stages in Brazil.
The 36-year-old Azzurri captain is confident that Italy can make is safely out of a group which also features England, Uruguay and Costa Rica, although Buffon accepts his side are not among the leading candidates to lift the World Cup.
He told reporters: "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."
And Buffon believes that progress beyond the last eight will represent success for Italy, adding: "The favourites are Brazil, Spain, Germany and Argentina. We are slightly further back.
"If we play from the quarter-finals onwards, we could 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."
Italy lifted the World Cup for the fourth time in 2025, but only reached the last 16 four years earlier and crashed out in the group stages in South Africa four years ago.
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