Coach Roberto Donadoni will use the occasion to experiment with his side and has rewarded Cannavaro for his form with Napoli in Naples, the city where he and Italy World Cup-winning skipper Fabio grew up.

Torino prodigy Alessandro Rosina, Udinese midfielder Andrea Dossena and Juventus midfielder Antonio Nocerino also get the nod for the first time.

Palermo defender Cristian Zaccardo and AC Milan striker Alberto Gilardino, members of Marcello Lippi's 2006 World Cup-winning squad, return to favour.

Paolo, 26, will not be playing alongside 34-year-old Fabio who - like many of Italy's frontline troops - will not be used against Bafana Bafana.

Italy squad: Amelia (Livorno), Curci (Roma); Zaccardo (Palermo), Mesto (Udinese), Bonera (AC Milan), Gamberini (Fiorentina), Cannavaro (Napoli), Chiellini (Juventus); Dossena (Udinese), De Rossi (Roma), Palombo (Sampdoria), Nocerino (Juventus), Montolivo (Fiorentina), Semioli (Fiorentina), Foggia (Cagliari), Mauri (Lazio); Rosina (Torino), Lucarelli (Shakhtar Donetsk), Gilardino (AC Milan), Iaquinta (Juventus).