2006 FIFA World Cup Final

The 2006 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 9 July 2006 at the Olympiastadion, Berlin to determine the winner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The match was contested between Italy and France.

The opening performance was by international superstars Shakira and Wyclef Jean, who performed a special version of "Hips Don't Lie" called The Bamboo Version. After the match ended 1–1, Italy won 5–3 on penalties. Zinedine Zidane was sent off in his last ever match, for an infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi.

Match summary

The final started with each side scoring within the first 20 minutes. Zinedine Zidane opened the scoring by converting a controversial seventh-minute penalty kick, [cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/worldcup2006/storyview.html?/story/sports/national/2006/07/09/france-italy-worldcup.html |title=Italy wins World Cup |publisher=CBC Sports |date=2006-07-09 |accessdate=2006-10-05 ] which glanced off the underside of the crossbar and into the goal. Marco Materazzi then levelled the scores in the 19th minute following an Andrea Pirlo corner. Both teams had chances to score the winning goal in normal time: Luca Toni hit the crossbar in the 35th minute for Italy, later having a header disallowed for offside, while France were not granted a possible second penalty in the 53rd minute when Florent Malouda went down in the box after a cover tackle from Gianluca Zambrotta. France appeared to be the side with better chances to win because of the higher number of shots on goal. They were unable to capitalise, however, and the score remained at one goal each.

Extra time and penalties

At the end of the regulation 90 minutes, the score was still level at 1–1, and the match was forced into extra time. Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon made a potentially game-saving save in extra time when he tipped a Zidane header over the crossbar. Further controversy ensued near the end of extra time, when Zidane headbutted Materazzi in the chest in an off-the-ball incident and was sent off. Extra time produced no further goals and a penalty shootout followed, which Italy won 5–3. France's David Trezeguet, the man who scored the dramatic Golden Goal against Italy in Euro 2000, was the only player not to score his penalty; his spot kick hit the crossbar.

Outcome

It was the first all-European final since Italy won the 1982 FIFA World Cup, and the second final (1994 was the first, with Italy losing on that occasion) to be decided on penalties. It was also Italy's first world title in 24 years, and their fourth overall, putting them one ahead of Germany/West Germany and only one behind Brazil. The victory also led to Italy topping the FIFA Coca Cola Rankings in February 2007 for the first time since November 1993.

Viewer figures

According to FIFA 715.1 million individuals watched the final match of this tournament (a ninth of the entire population of the planet) [http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/ffprojects/ip-401_06e_tv_2658.pdf]

Match details

footballbox
date = 2006-07-09
time = 20:00
team1 = fb-rt|ITA
score = 1 – 1 (a.e.t.)
report = [http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/germany2006/results/matches/match=97410064/report.html (Report)]
team2 = fb|FRA
goals1 = Materazzi goal|19
goals2 = Zidane goal|7|pen.
stadium = Olympiastadion, Berlin
attendance = 69,000
referee = Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)

penshootoutbox
penalties1 = Pirlo pengoal
Materazzi pengoal
De Rossi pengoal
Del Piero pengoal
Grosso pengoal|scored
penaltyscore = 5 – 3
penalties2 = pengoal Wiltord
penmiss|hit crossbar Trezeguet
pengoal Abidal
pengoal Sagnol

References