Campione del Mondo! Italy won their fourth World Cup title after a 24-year gap. The Azzurri triumphed 5-3 over France in the penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 (1-1, 1-1) score at the end of extra time. In Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, where Italians had also gained the 1936 Olympic gold medal, sandwiched between their first two World Cup titles in 1934 and 1938, 69,000 spectators attended the dramatic final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup^TM.

In his last match as a football professional Zinedine Zidane was sent off in extra time after butting Marco Materazzi in the chest (110th minute). David Trezeguet was the second tragic figure in the team of the 1998 World Cup champions. He took the second penalty, and became the only French player to fail to place the ball in the net. The striker who had assured a French victory over Italy with a Golden Goal in the 2000 European Championship final in Rotterdam, hit the bar of the goal guarded by Guanluigi Buffon, his team-mate with Juventus Turin. The Italians, for whom Andrea Pirlo, Materazzi, Daniele De Rossi, Alessandro Del Piero and Fabio Grosso scored, won their first ever penalty shoot-out at a FIFA World Cup. In 1990 they failed against Argentina in the semi-finals, in 1994 against Brazil in the final, and in 1998 against France in the quarter-finals. It was the first victory of the “Squadra Azzurra” over France for 28 years, since the 1978 World Cup.

When Fabio Cannavaro, the supreme general in defence, raised the World Cup trophy in the air at the end of his 100th international match, and as the fourth Italian captain to do so, ecstatic joy reigned supreme. Millions of Tifosi at home and in many countries around the world celebrated the triumph. It was an interesting, exciting match but not always performed at the highest level during all two hours it lasted. Zidane scored with a penalty, awarded for foul play, after six minutes. The 34-year-old hit the lower edge of the bar, but the ball bounced over the line. Materazzi equalised with a header from a corner in the 19th minute. In the 36th minute Luca Toni hit the French bar.

In the thrilling second half the Equipe Tricolore was the better team. Thierry Henry missed a very good opportunity when thwarted by strong Italian goalkeeper Buffon (64th), later elected the best goalkeeper of the World Cup finals. In extra time it was again Zidane who had a good opportunity for the lead with a header, but again Buffon distinguished himself (103rd). Zidane, the best footballer of the past years, lost control with the attack on Materazzi eleven minutes from time. It resulted in the 14th Red Card of his career when Argentine referee Elizondo sent him off. In the penalty shoot-out, their first in a World Cup final since their defeat by Brazil in the USA in 1994, the Azzurri kept their nerve despite consistent whistling and booing from the crowd.

“Our conviction that we could become World Cup champions has increased match by match. I have never experienced such an emotion as at the final whistle”, coach Marcello Lippi disclosed. He had previously worked with Zidane as the coach of Juventus Turin. “I am a great admirer. It is bitter to see his career end this way”, said Lippi. Zidane did not appear for the award ceremony and did not receive his silver medal. It was a small consolation for the French captain that he was awarded the “Golden Ball” for the best World Cup player the day after the final. In the final, however, Andrea Pirlo was more effective. He was elected Man of the Match for the third time.

“It’s a terrible disappointment for us. Zidane’s sending off was one of the key turning points in this match, as was Vieira’s substitution due to injury. In the final stage of extra time, when we were dominating the match, we had to make do with ten players. That’s a really sad chapter”, French coach Raymond Domenech commented.

The World Cup victory was of particular importance to the Italians. Parallel to the last World Cup week, the alleged bribery scandal discovered before the start of the World Cup, was on trial. Eight players with champions Juventus Turin were in the squad and faced the possibility that their club would be banned and relegated into the third division. A further six players were from Lazio Rome and AC Florence, threatened with relegation to the second division. But because of the fantastic success of the national team, more and more people in Italy advocated that the Juve players should not be punished just because their club was involved in the scandal.

“This victory is incredibly important, because it will keep for eternity. I am experiencing an indescribable joy”, said Francesco Totti, whose club AS Rome was not involved in the affair. Gennaro Gattuso, AC Milan’s midfielder, thanked the World Cup hosts: “At the end of this adventure I would like to express my congratulations to the German people. All people I met during the last month were incredibly friendly, respectful and polite”. After that a great night of celebration began for the Italians, before they were triumphantly received by their fellow-countrymen in Rome on Monday.