From the four corners of the world, every four years they come - football's best of the best. The 2006 FIFA World Cup has been hailed as one of the most open and exciting ever in the history of the competition. For Australia, it marked the emergence of the Socceroos into football's world stage as a force to be taken seriously and also introduced thousands of new Australian fans to the round ball game. The Final, between Italy and France, both previous winners of the World Cup, was a magnificent treat for these new-found fans and for viewers around the world.
Italy, who controversially put Australia out in the second round, became clear favourites with the departure of the mighty Brazil in the quarter-finals. As the Italians stepped up their game and took down hosts Germany, it became obvious that this powerhouse of European football was going to take some beating.
France, almost written off from the start of the tournament saw a team of ageing superstars somehow muster that characteristic spark of French genius to slip almost unnoticed into the semi-finals, but only the massive experience and quick thinking of Zidane against Portugal ensured France's finals berth. Zidane's swansong game as International was to be marked by a red card in the Final, in a game full of controversy and tension.
In the end, 90 minutes couldn't separate the two teams, each with a hard-won goal. Extra time failed to resolve matters either, and The 2006 FIFA World Cup was decided on penalties, keeping the whole footballing world on knife-edge suspense.
Here is the FIFA World Cup final;, from start to finish, including the presentation, an unforgettable piece of history for every fan of the beautiful game, new or old.
