And still they will not learn.

Italian football has endured a sorry four years since the Azzurri tried and failed to cynically defend a 1-0 lead against France in the final of Euro 2000.

The national side repeated the feat with 2002 World Cup elimination at the hands of South Korea while their clubs refuse to alter an outdated style despite perennial underachievement in European competition.

And after a first-half performance which provided as compelling an argument for Euro 2004 favouritism as any during the tournament's first week, Italy yet again contrived to throw away victory on Friday evening.

It was a bizarre performance, brilliant and self-destructive in equal measure.

For 45 minutes, Giovanni Trapattoni's side dominated Sweden in every man-for-man duel on the field of play.

The defensive holy trinity of Gianluigi Buffon, Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro each strengthened their claims for a place in a World XI while Christian Panucci and Gianluca Zambrotta were the quintessential modern full-backs, attacking and defending to equal effect.

Gennaro Gattuso and Simone Perrotta dominated the midfield; Antonio Cassano provided a preview of Italy's future while Alessandro Del Piero served a reminder of the past.

Most nations would have followed such dominance - rewarded only with a 1-0 lead - by seeking a potentially decisive boost to their goal difference; Italy set about defending ever deeper in a dismal second-half display.

No player has dictated half an hour of Euro 2004 more comprehensively than Kim Kallstrom, a 21-year-old with only one season's experience outside of his homeland.

Kallstrom is a fine prospect but he was allowed to dominate an empty midfield vacated by the retreating Gattuso and Perrotta.

And as his players afforded the Swedes ever more space, Trapattoni contributed three feeble substitutions.

Forwards Cassano and Del Piero made way for midfielders Stefano Fiore and Mauro Camoranesi, those two changes flanking the introduction of left-back Giuseppe Favalli at the expense of Gattuso.

The national obsession with defending a lead has become a collective fear, provoking a negative mindset in the face of all intuition.

Italy had the personnel, the momentum and the lead; Trapattoni surrendered all three.

His belief that the Italian way remains pre-eminent has already cost his side a chance at the World Cup; now it has put them on the brink of European Championship elimination.

Ironically, Friday night's result demands a cavalier attitude from `Trap' as Italy must beat Bulgaria on Tuesday to have any chance of progression.

The veteran's approach should be fascinating. He surely must keep faith with Del Piero and Cassano while there is no obvious replacement for Christian Vieri, who was wasteful against the Swedes.

Vieri's situtation mirrors that of Italian football as a whole. Playing in the Serie A confers a lofty reputation by default and while the Inter Milan striker was once a world-class performer, he was the obvious culprit against Korea two years ago. The Nerazzurri, meanwhile, have only one Champions League semi-final to boast about during Vieri's time at the San Siro.

Vieri's former Lazio team-mates Hernan Crespo and Juan Sebastian Veron raise further doubts about Serie A's standing; Francesco Totti's suspension has delayed the airing of difficult questions this summer.

The crisis should not be overstated, Trapattoni still boasts one of the better squads in Portugal but must evolve quickly. The hosts have already shown what havoc unsuitable tactics can inflict on a talented squad of players.

Cassano, in particular, could hold the key. He lacks his team-mates' fear of failure and will surely have to provide goals against Bulgaria if Vieri's poor form continues.

Trapattoni's starting XI against Sweden has proven its mettle and their next opposition, moribund for the second consecutive game in defeat to Denmark and without suspended talisman Stilian Petrov, should not take too much beating.

But the onus remains on the veteran coach and his players to justify a reputation which is creaking in front of the eyes of Europe.