Vieri: Slams Serie A soccer (GraziaNeri/Allsport)

The powerful striker also criticised Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni's cautious approach at the recent World Cup finals.

Italy were knocked out in the second round after a 'golden goal' defeat to co-hosts South Korea - a result which follows three seasons of failure for Italian clubs in European competition.

'We need to change mentality - that is the problem with everything here,' Vieri was quoted as saying in Tuesday's Gazzetta Dello Sport. 'Today in Italy we play badly, we produce ugly football.

'The Spanish and English championships are more entertaining, more spectacular. Our football is behind in respect to the others.

'You can hear Italian coaches abroad say that as well.'

Vieri, whose four goals in South Korea and Japan made him his country's joint all-time top scorer in World Cup finals with a total of nine, said Italy had been too worried about their opponents.

'Notwithstanding everything that happened we should have gone forward in that tournament because we were much stronger,' he said.

'That is the truth that adds to the disappointment - with the attackers we had we should have had more belief,' said Vieri, referring to Alessandro Del Piero, Filippo Inzaghi and Vincenzo Montella, who spent much of the tournament on the subs bench.

'Instead we thought too much about the opposition and that, in my opinion, was our problem.

'Have you heard what Ronaldo said? 'We play with three or four attackers because we are Brazil - it is the others who should be worried about us'.

'There you go, I would like to be able to say the same - 'We are Italy'. If you think about the other team you are not strong.'