Zambrotta came tothe fore in Euro 2000 when then manager Dino Zoff used him as a more dynamic alternative to Diego Fuser in the right-midfield berth.
He played a key role in the Azzurri's run to the final but had his team-mates to thank for saving his blushes after he was sent off in the semi-final against Holland.
The red card meant that he had to miss the final which ended in defeat to France.
He made his debut for Italy in February 1999 against Norway while still a Bari player.
At the end of that season, as one of the brightest prospects in Serie A, Juventus won a mad scramble for his signature and he has been in Turin ever since.