Born in Argentina to Italian parents, Mauro Camoranesi became the first naturalised player to appear for Italy since the Italian-Brazilian Jose Altafini in the 1960s.

Camoranesi made his arrival in calcio in 2000, joining Verona and quickly establishing himself as one of the best right-sided midfielders in the league. His performances attracted the attention of the then Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni, who gave him his debut in February 2003 and included him in the squad for UEFA EURO 2004.

In the meantime, the bustling Camoranesi joined Juventus, making his presence felt in a variety of midfield duties, switching between a central and a wide role. A fine crosser and combative ball-winner, the hard-working midfielder can be relied upon to give his all on the big occasions.

His competitive qualities came to the fore at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany, where he was an ever-present on the right flank and made a key contribution to Italy's triumph. Under Roberto Donadoni he kept his place for EURO 2008 and has taken his tally of international appearances to 43, making him the most capped naturalised player in Azzurri history.