Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo has praised his side following Saturday's 2-1 win over England.

The Juventus playmaker skippered the Azzurri as goals from Claudio Marchisio and Mario Balotelli gave the 2006 champions a winning start to their World Cup campaign.

"I was the captain of a courageous Italy that wanted to impose its style on England," he told reporters.

"I think we did that in the first half and for a large part of the second half too. It was a great game despite the heat. We're a good team and we can go forward."

Pirlo was handed the armband after Gianluigi Buffon missed out with an ankle injury.