July 9, 2006

Italy converted five immaculate penalties to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup after a drawn game and thirty minutes of extra-time in the spectacular arena of the Olympiastadion Berlin, Sunday.

France's captain Zinedine Zidane did not help his team when, 20 minutes into Extra Time, he lost control of his emotions and got a red card.

The game was closely contested with the playmakers on both sides - Andrea Pirlo and Zidane, on his last game before retirement - not getting much space with which to dominate the play. For Italy and France Gennaro Gattuso and Claude Makelele tackled hard.

However; both creative midfield stars made important contributions to the only goals of the game. Zidane converted a chipped penalty after five minutes while Pirlo's magnificent corner, a quarter of an hour later, thundered into the net off Marco Materazzi's head.

Materazzi had previously conceded the penalty when he tapped Florent Malouda on his ankle as he ran past him in the penalty area.

In the first half Italy's left and right defensive backs Gianluca Zambrotta and Fabio Grosso penetrated down the French flanks. But after the break France came out the strongest. The flow of the game was disrupted when Patrick Viera pulled-up injured and Marcello Lippi made two substitutions on the hour. A deadlock resulted as teams tired and individuals battled for every ball without thinking too hard about constructing team attacks.

Materazzi was never far from the action in the final and though Italy had 55 percent of ball possession was one of the busier players on the pitch. France were slightly more potent offensively with 13 shots - out shooting the Azzurri by eight attempts.

In Extra Time France came closest to a goal - Zidane, unmarked, headed to goal from 12 yards but was tipped over one-handed by Gianluigi Buffon.

Zidane's next contribution to the game was not so graceful and appeared to be sparked by the close marking of the ubiquitous Materazzi. After a verbal altercation the 34-year-old turned around and drove his head violently into the Italian's upper chest.

Materazzi was knocked backwards on the floor but the incident occurred off the ball and was not immediately noticed by the referee or his assistants. Buffon soon ran out of his penalty area to an assistant referee and the game was stopped.

Horacio Elizondo ran to the touchline to consult with officials and returned waving a red card for the violent conduct of Zidane. It is likely FIFA used information from fourth and fifth official to confirm the decision.

The head butt and red card was Zidane's last action in football as he had said he would retire after the tournament.

A penalty shootout was necessary to decide the winner. Eight shots went in; David Trezeguet missed the one that mattered. His shot hit the crossbar and unlike Zidane's penalty in the first half, bounced down inches the wrong side of the goal line.

While Zidane was hanging his boots up Marco Materazzi scored Italy's third. Grosso, who in the second round had won a last minute penalty against Australia, powered in the fifth to give Italy the crown.

The only goal Marcello Lippi's Italy conceded during free play in the tournament proved to be an own goal from Cristian Zaccardo against the United States of America.

Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro, on the occasion of his 100th cap, was instrumental in their defensive achievement. Amid wild scenes of joy on the pitch he jumped onto the podium and lifted the trophy, the fourth of Italy's history.

Final

July 9, 2006 20:00
	France	1–1	Italy
	Zidane 7' (pen)		Materazzi 19'

Attendance: 69'000

Penalties

France	Notes	Result		Italy	Notes	Result
				Pirlo	High center	Goal
Wiltord	Hard to left	Goal		Materazzi	Hard to left	Goal
Trezeguet	Hit crossbar right	X		De Rossi	Hard high right	Goal
Abidal	Hard to right	Goal		Del Piero	Hard high right	Goal
Sagnol	Hard center	Goal		Grosso	Hard high left	Goal

Formations

France

Right wing	Right	Center	Left	Left wing
		Fabien Barthez (GK)
Eric Abidal	Liliam Thuram		William Gallas	Willy Sagnol Yellow Card
		Claude Makelele Yellow Card
Florent Malouda Yellow Card		Patrick Viera		Frank Ribery
			Zinedine Zidane(C) Goal Red Card
		Thierry Henry

Substitutes

• 56' Alou Diarra for Viera
• 100' David Trezeguet for Ribery
• 107' Sylvain Wiltord for Henry

Coach: Raymond Domenech

---

Italy

Right wing	Right	Center	Left	Left wing
		Gianluigi Buffon (GK)
	Fabio Cannavaro (C)		Marco Materazzi Goal Yellow Card
Gianluca Zambrotta		Gennaro Gattuso		Fabio Grosso
	Mauro Camoranesi Yellow Card	Andrea Pirlo	Simone Perrotta
		Francesco Totti
		Luca Toni

Substitutes

• 61' Vincenzo Iaquinta for Francesco Totti
• 61' Daniele De Rossi for Perrotta
• 86' Alessandro Del Piero for Camoranesi

Coach: Marcello Lippi

Officials

 Referee: Elizondo, Horacio

 Assistant referee: García, Dario

 Assistant referee: Otero, Rodolfo

 Fourth referee: Luís Centalejo Medina

 Fifth referee: Victoriano Carrasco Giraldez

Sources

• "France 1-1 Italy (aet)". BBC Online, July 9, 2006

• "Fifa match report". Fifa, July 9, 2006

• "Germany 2006 analysis: The tactics". Fifa, July 7, 2006