Who Won 2006 World Cup
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Italy are now one World Cup win short of Brazil's tally Italy beat France 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out to win the World Cup after an absorbing 1-1 draw in Berlin. Fabio Grosso scored the winning penalty after France's David Trezeguet missed.
Playing his last game before retiring, Zinedine Zidane's career ended in disgrace after he was sent off for crazily headbutting Marco Materazzi. Zidane had put France ahead early on with a coolly-taken chipped penalty, before Materazzi levelled with a header from an Andrea Pirlo corner. The result caps an incredible period for Italian football, with the domestic game embroiled in a corruption scandal similar to 1982 when they last won the World Cup. They have now won the competition four times, one fewer than Brazil, and it was the first time they managed to win a World Cup match on penalties after three failed attempts. Only four men have scored three goals in World Cup final matches - Geoff Hurst (England), Vava (Brazil), Pele (Brazil) and now Zinedine Zidane (France) But France legend Zidane may forever be haunted by the moment of madness which cost him a second World Cup title.
2006 World Cup Results
Jul 9, 2006 - Italy won its fourth World Cup title today, defeating France, 5-3, in a. Gulliver mod 1.7.10. Thrills in Rome and Paris, but Italians Get Final Cheer JULY 9, 2006.
Who Won 2006 World Cup Winner
Only Zidane knows why he chose to shove his head into Materazzi's chest after the two had exchanged words with 10 minutes left of extra-time. He had started so well, too, with a goal after six minutes that meant Zidane, who scored twice in the 1998 final, became the fourth man to score in two World Cup finals after Brazilians Vava and Pele and Germany's Paul Breitner. He casually chipped a penalty in off the crossbar after Florent Malouda had won the spot-kick with a fall when Materazzi appeared to catch his foot as he came across to challenge. But Italy recovered well from their unfortunate start and the industrious Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso quickly began to set the tempo of the game. Through Pirlo's dead-ball delivery, they were soon on level terms. The AC Milan midfield maestro whipped over a corner from the right and Materazzi thumped a header past Fabien Barthez.