ONE is a World Cup-winning captain who earned more than 100 caps for Italy – the other is a Cumbrian who has been a key figure in Alex Neil’s Preston North End side this season.

Comparisons between the great Fabio Cannavaro, the 2006 Ballon d’Or winner who led his country to World Cup glory in Germany in the same year and Cumbrian Preston defender Paul Huntington may seem a little far-fetched.

But North End supporters have certainly embraced their “Cumbrian Cannavaro” during their current Championship campaign.

It may be an unlikely nickname for the Carlisle-born centre-half, but the chant has been heard up and down the country this season.

“It is quite funny – I like it,” said Huntington. “It is great.

“I was going off after the QPR game [which Preston won 1-0] and the fans were singing it. It makes me smile.

“I have heard it mainly away from home. Thanks very much to the fans for it. It does make me laugh.”

Huntington, a former Trinity School boy, admits he does not see the likeness with the former Real Madrid and Juventus star.

“I don’t really see the similarities, no,” he said to the Lancashire Evening Post.

“Quite a few of the lads and the staff have said there aren’t many too, but I will certainly take it. I think he has won quite a few honours, hasn’t he?

“It is nice to hear people sing, well, not your name, but your nickname.”

Huntington has played more than 20 times in the heart of Neil’s defence this campaign, wearing the captain’s armband for long periods after injuries to Tom Clarke and former Manchester City left-back Greg Cunningham.

The 30-year-old, the half-cousin of former Carlisle striker Scott Dobie, arrived at Deepdale in the summer of 2012 and is one of the club’s longest-serving players.

While with one of his previous clubs, Leeds, Huntington was involved in controversial scenes when making gestures towards Carlisle’s supporters in Leeds’ 3-2 win at Elland Road in 2008. Some Blues fans booed the centre-half when he then played for the Yorkshire club at Brunton Park.

Huntington also counts Newcastle, Stockport County and Yeovil among his former clubs.

As well as playing for Real Madrid and Juventus, centre-half Cannavaro also featured for Napoli, Parma, Inter Milan and Dubai-based Al Ahli.

In total, he made 136 appearances for his country, lifting the World Cup in 2006 after a penalty shoot-out win over France in a final that is also remembered for Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt on Marco Materazzi.