World Cup 2006
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six populated continents participated in the qualification process which began in September 2003. Thirty-one teams qualified from this process, along with the host nation, Germany, for the finals tournament. It was the second time that Germany staged the competition (the first was in 1974 as West Germany and also a re-FIFA World Cup), and the tenth time that it was held in Europe. Italy won the tournament, claiming their fourth World Cup title. They defeated France 5–3 in a penalty shootout in the final, after extra time had finished in a 1–1 draw. Germany defeated Portugal 3–1 to finish in third place. Angola, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Serbia and Montenegro, Trinidad and Tobago, and Togo made their first appearances in the finals.The 2006 World Cup stands as one of the most watched events in television history, garnering an estimated 26.29 billion non-unique viewers, compiled over the course of the tournament. The final attracted an estimated audience of 715.1 million people. The 2006 World Cup ranks fourth in non-unique viewers, behind the World Cup in 1994, 2002, and 1990. As the winner, Italy represented the World in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
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Cannavaro captained Italy throughout their successful 2006 World Cup campaign with composure and aplomb under manager Marcello Lippi. One of his key performances came in a 2–0 extra-time win against hosts Germany in the semi-finals of the tournament: in the last minute of extra-time, with Italy leading 1–0 and facing a German attack, Cannavaro outjumped Per Mertesacker to clear the ball from his area. He subsequently ran forward to dispossess Lukas Podolski, and carried the ball up to Francesco Totti in midfield, who started the play that led to Italy’s second goal, which was scored by Alessandro Del Piero from an assist by Alberto Gilardino. However, Cannavaro’s crowning moment was lifting the World Cup on 9 July 2006, the night of his 100th cap. Cannavaro did not receive a single yellow or red card during the 690 minutes he played in the tournament. His defensive performance in the final earned him the nickname of “Wall of Berlin”, as the final was played in Berlin. Along with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Cannavaro played each minute of every match in the tournament for Italy, completing 211 passes and winning 16 challenges. Even with usual defensive partner Alessandro Nesta out due to injury, the Italian defence kept a record five clean sheets and conceded only two goals throughout the entire tournament: an own-goal against the United States and a Zinedine Zidane penalty in the final against France. Cannavaro’s leadership and marshalling of the Italian defence throughout their march to the final earned him a place in the All-Star Team at the end of the competition (awarded by FIFA’s Technical Study Group) alongside six other Italian teammates: Gianluigi Buffon, Francesco Totti, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Toni and Gianluca Zambrotta. He was runner-up in the race for the Golden Ball, finishing behind French counterpart Zinedine Zidane; it was a close contest with Zidane polling 2012 points to Cannavaro’s 1977. Cannavaro was also awarded the 2006 Ballon d’Or and the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year for his performances throughout the season and at the World Cup, also being named to the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year.
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Despite injury troubles, Totti recovered in time to join the national team for their victorious 2006 World Cup campaign, despite a lack of match practice during his three months on the sidelines. Italy manager Marcello Lippi showed enormous faith in Totti, assuring him during his rehabilitation that his spot in Italy’s World Cup squad was secure and to focus on recuperating. This encouragement and show of faith fueled Totti’s desire to work even harder to overcome what could have been a career-ending injury and make it to the World Cup against all odds (and much of the Italian media’s opinion). Totti did recuperate in time and was eventually named to Lippi’s final 23-man squad for the 2006 World Cup. Despite initial concerns over his match fitness, Totti was an important player in Marcello Lippi’s team, and played in all seven games for Italy, including the victorious final against France, which Italy won on penalties, although he was substituted off in the 61st minute. He played the entire time in Germany with metal plates and screws in his ankle that had yet to be removed following the surgery. Throughout the tournament, he usually played as an attacking midfielder, in front of deep-lying playmaker Andrea Pirlo, and behind strikers Luca Toni, Alberto Gilardino, Vincenzo Iaquinta, or Filippo Inzaghi; these players were supported defensively by Gennaro Gattuso, Simone Perrotta and Daniele De Rossi in midfield. Totti finished the tournament with the joint-highest number of assists, along with his teammate Pirlo, Juan Román Riquelme, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Luís Figo (4). Totti set up Pirlo’s goal from a short corner in Italy’s opening 2–0 win against Ghana, Marco Materazzi’s goal from a corner in Italy’s final group match, a 2–0 win against the Czech Republic, and two goals in a 3–0 win against Ukraine in the quarter-finals: the opener by Gianluca Zambrotta, and one of Luca Toni’s goals. Totti also scored a goal via an injury-time penalty in Italy’s 1–0 round of 16 win over Australia on 26 June, and was involved in Del Piero’s last-minute extra-time goal in the semi-final, which sealed a 2–0 victory for the Italians over hosts Germany, and a place in the World Cup final. Throughout the competition, Totti completed 185 passes and took 19 shots; in recognition of a successful tournament, he was selected for the 23-man All-Star Team.
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Totti intended to retire from international football after the 2006 World Cup, but reneged on his decision and remained undecided on his future for over a year, not being called up in the meantime. He made his retirement official on 20 July 2007, at the beginning of the 2007–08 Serie A season, due to recurring physical problems and in order to focus solely on club play with Roma. Italy’s coach at the time, Roberto Donadoni, attempted to get Totti to change his mind for the remaining Euro 2008 qualifiers but was not successful.
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These boots were worn by Francesco Totti uniquely during some Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006” games including the games against Czech Republic, Australia, Germany and during the Final game against France which took place in Berlin on July 9th 2006. This pair of boots is absolutely unique, released in one pair only. It has a special sole exclusively made for the player for the World Cup due his injury happened few months before the competition. It is a very special soft sole, with smaller studs made by Diadora to make the player’s run smoother. Totti used this kind of sole only during the World Cup and only in the very first games of the season 2006/2007, but on a different style of boots. The special “Germany 2006” sided tag on boots makes these boots an authentic piece of football history. There is also a similar version of these boots that Totti used during World Cup trainings and pre World Cup friendly games with player’s signature on tongue and without the “Germany 2006” tag on side. Totti used his number 10 on tongue and the tag only during the official World Cup games. Number “10” on tongue is written in the same font of name sets and numbers of Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006” Italy National Team’s shirts, which is very weird, considering that the font belonged to Puma and not to Diadora. So we assume that Diadora requested to be allowed to use it on Totti’s boots.
Usual Francesco Totti’s sole
Francesco Totti’s World Cup 2006sole
“I don’t feel pressure … I don’t give a toss about it. I spent the afternoon of Sunday, 9 July 2006 in Berlin sleeping and playing the PlayStation. In the evening, I went out and won the World Cup” Andrea Pirlo
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Under Trapattoni’s replacement, Marcello Lippi, Pirlo became a key member of Italy’s starting line-up during their 2006 World Cup Qualifying campaign, and he was eventually called up as a starting member of the Italian squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[165] On 26 March 2005, he assured Italy’s participation in the tournament after scoring from two free kicks in a 2–0 win against Scotland in a World Cup Qualifier. Pirlo was named to Italy’s 23-man squad for the 2006 World Cup, and appeared in all of Italy’s matches at the tournament, playing 668 minutes in total. In Italy’s first match of the tournament on 12 June, Pirlo scored the opening goal against Ghana, and subsequently helped set up a goal for Vincenzo Iaquinta to seal a 2–0 victory, as the midfielder was named Man of the Match. In the second match on 17 June, he set up a diving header for Alberto Gilardino from a set piece which proved to be vital in the 1–1 draw against the United States. In the semi-final against Germany on 4 July, he assisted Fabio Grosso’s opening goal in the dying minutes of extra-time, and was again named Man of the Match, as Italy triumphed 2–0 over the hosts.[171] In the final against France on 9 July, his corner kick produced Marco Materazzi’s equalizing header ten minutes after France had opened the scoring with a Zinedine Zidane penalty. Following a 1–1 deadlock after extra-time, the match went to a penalty shoot-out, in which he scored the first spot kick, helping Italy to win the title. Pirlo formed a formidable midfield partnership with Milan teammate Gennaro Gattuso, and he completed 475 passes out of 580 attempted throughout the tournament, while also winning 18 challenges. After the final, he was named Man of the Match for a third time, winning more Man of the Match Awards than any other player in the tournament. Pirlo was voted the third-best player of the tournament, winning the Bronze Ball,[ and he finished the victorious World Cup campaign as the top assist provider along with teammate Francesco Totti, as well as Juan Román Riquelme, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Luís Figo. He was named as part of the 2006 FIFPro XI and as part of the 2006 World Cup Team of the Tournament for his performances, placing ninth in both the 2006 Ballon d’Or and the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year Awards.
“Andrea has demonstrated all his great talent and worth. When we played together, everything started with him. He always had the great gift of being able to visualize and anticipate plays before everyone else. His vision, what he can do with the ball, and what he’s able to create, make him a true superstar. Andrea has something which you don’t see very often” Roberto Baggio
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Fellow players on the Italian national team have nicknamed Pirlo l’architetto (“the Architect”), because of the way in which he builds plays, and sets up goal-scoring opportunities with long, lobbed through passes. In recent years, Juventus fans also dubbed him il professore (“the professor”), Maestro, and Mozart, as a reference to the Austrian composer’s prodigious ability. Pirlo was also frequently compared to fellow former Milan and Italy legend Demetrio Albertini early in his Milan career, due to their similar characteristics and style of play. Pirlo was often thought to be Albertini’s heir for Milan and the national side; he inherited his nickname the metronome whilst playing at Milan, for the way in which he influenced games by controlling the tempo of his team’s play through his direct and efficient passing game in midfield, as well as his ability to make himself available to teammates to receive and distribute the ball.
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Materazzi started the 2006 FIFA World Cup as a reserve player, but after Alessandro Nesta suffered an injury in the group match against the Czech Republic, Materazzi came on as his replacement and made an impact by scoring a goal, and was named Man of the Match. He received a red card in the round of 16 match against Australia for a foul on Mark Bresciano, which ended in a 1–0 win to the Italians, and was suspended for the quarter-final against Ukraine, which Italy won 3–0. In the final against France, Materazzi fouled Florent Malouda to concede a dubious penalty, which Zinedine Zidane subsequently scored. He made another impact by scoring a goal to level the score, a header from a right sided corner by Andrea Pirlo. After the match went to extra-time, Materazzi and Zidane were involved in a confrontation in the 110th minute, where Materazzi verbally insulted Zinedine Zidane alongside tugging his shirt while Zidane attempted to walk away, which ended with Zidane head-butting Materazzi and receiving a red card. The game then continued to penalties. Materazzi scored Italy’s second penalty as they defeated France 5–3 to claim their fourth FIFA World Cup. After the final, the confrontation resulted in a major controversy as Zidane accused Materazzi of insulting his sister and mother. Additionally, Materazzi claimed that after he had grabbed Zidane’s jersey, Zidane sarcastically said to him “If you want my shirt, I will give to you afterwards”. Materazzi then revealed that he replied, “Preferisco la puttana di tua sorella” (I would prefer your whore of a sister), which resulted in the head-butt. Three British tabloid newspapers, the Daily Star, the Daily Mail and The Sun, alleged that Materazzi had called Zidane “the son of a terrorist whore.” Materazzi took legal action against all three newspapers and the allegations were later withdrawn. FIFA later issued a CHF 5,000 fine and a two-match ban against Materazzi. Alongside striker Luca Toni, Materazzi was Italy’s top scorer throughout the tournament with two goals; he also won 14 challenges throughout the competition.
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This model was never used by the team during the World Cup 2006 since the team always wore the home blue shirt. It was used against Netherlands in November 2005 for the first time and then it was used after the World Cup for the Euro 2008 Qualifying Games.
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Grosso made his international debut with the Italy national football team on 30 April 2003, in a 2–1 friendly away win over Switzerland, under manager Giovanni Trapattoni. He scored his first goal for Italy in a 1–1 away draw against Scotland, on 2 September 2005, in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.From 2005 onwards, Grosso became a regular member of the starting line-up at left-back under Marcello Lippi, and was called up to represent Italy at the 2006 FIFA World Cup by manager Marcello Lippi, playing a key role throughout the tournament as the Italians went on to win the title. In injury time of the round of 16 fixture against Australia, with the score tied at 0–0, Grosso advanced with the ball into the box from the left flank and was allegedly fouled in the penalty area by Lucas Neill, who went to ground, causing Grosso to stumble; Francesco Totti subsequently converted the decisive penalty as a ten-man Italy won the match 1–0 to advance to the quarter-finals. The decision by referee Luis Medina Cantalejo to award the penalty was contentious, however, with some in media accusing Grosso of diving. In 2010, Grosso admitted that he didn’t stay on his feet because he was exhausted and “didn’t have the strength to go forward”, he said he “felt contact, so I went down” and “maybe I accentuated it a little bit”, but insisted that after reviewing the replay that Neill did commit a foul. On 4 July 2006, Grosso scored the first goal against hosts Germany in the 119th minute of the World Cup semi-finals, with a curling left-footed strike beyond the reach of Jens Lehmann into the Germans’ net from the edge of the box, which commentator John Motson would describe as “magnificent”, while Grosso ran about screaming “Non ci credo!” (I don’t believe it!) as his teammates celebrated. In the World Cup final, five days later, he scored the winning penalty against France in a 5–3 victory in the resulting shoot-out after a 1–1 draw following extra-time, which allowed the Italy national team to win their fourth World Cup title.Grosso was also included in Roberto Donadoni’s 23-man Italy squad for UEFA Euro 2008. He made a substitute appearance in Italy’s opening match of the tournament, a 3–0 defeat to the Netherlands, but was subsequently started in the remaining two group matches, a 1–1 draw against Romania, and a 2–0 win over France, and was praised in the Italian media for his performances along the left flank as Italy advanced from the group in second place. In the quarter-final match against eventual champions Spain, he helped the team keep a clean-sheet, and converted Italy’s first penalty in the resulting shoot-out, which Spain won 4–2. Following the tournament, he was later also the first choice left-back in Marcello Lippi’s Azzurri squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. For the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa, he was called up to the pre-World Cup training camp along with team-mates Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini, Fabio Cannavaro, Nicola Legrottaglie, Mauro Camoranesi, Antonio Candreva, Claudio Marchisio and Vincenzo Iaquinta on 4–5 May and was included in the 30-men preliminary squad announced on 11 May. However, in the second training camp, he was dropped along with Juventus team-mate Candreva.
ITALY NATIONAL TEAM
Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006”
Germany vs Italy
Match Worn Shirt
Buffon Gianluigi
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Buffon was once again the first choice goalkeeper under his former Juventus coach and Trapattoni’s replacement Marcello Lippi, as Italy finished first in their 2006 World Cup qualifying group.[265] Although his place in Italy’s 2006 World Cup was initially in doubt, as he was being investigated for possible involvement in the 2006 Calciopoli scandal, he was later named by Lippi as Italy’s starting goalkeeper for the tournament. During the 2006 World Cup finals, Buffon was in excellent form, setting a World Cup record by conceding just two goals in seven matches, and keeping five clean sheets. In addition, he posted a 453-minute scoreless streak, only 64 minutes short of compatriot Walter Zenga’s all-time unbeaten record from the 1990 World Cup. The only goals he conceded were not in open play; an own goal by teammate Cristian Zaccardo after a free-kick against the United States in Italy’s second match of the group stage, and a Zinedine Zidane penalty in the final against France. In the final, Buffon later made an important save in extra time on a header from eventual Golden Ball winner Zidane. The match ended 1–1 after extra-time and was followed by a penalty shootout in which neither Buffon nor Fabien Barthez saved a spot kick. The lone miss was David Trezeguet’s effort which hit the bottom of the crossbar and failed to cross the line, enabling Italy’s Fabio Grosso to seal the victory for Italy. Buffon was named Man of the Match in Italy’s 1–0 victory over Australia in the round of 16, and later also received the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper of the tournament, producing 40 saves, and was elected to the Team of the Tournament. Buffon also finished second to compatriot Fabio Cannavaro in the 2006 Ballon d’Or and eighth in the FIFA World Player of the Year for his performances that season, and was named in the 2006 FIFPro World XI and the 2006 UEFA Team of the Year.
ITALY NATIONAL TEAM
Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006”
Germany vs Italy
Match Issued Shirt
Peruzzi Angelo
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Peruzzi was capped 31 times in 11 years with Italy, between 1995 and 2006. He was also a member of the national squad that competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, making two appearances during the tournament. Peruzzi made his senior debut under manager Arrigo Sacchi, in a 4–1 home win over Estonia, in an UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying match, on 25 March 1995, and he was named Italy’s starting goalkeeper at Euro 1996, although Italy suffered a group-stage elimination. He was scheduled to be the starter at the 1998 FIFA World Cup under Cesare Maldini, but suffered a late injury and was replaced in the starting line-up by Gianluca Pagliuca. After the 1998 World Cup, Maldini was replaced by Italy’s former goalkeeper and record-setter Dino Zoff, who confirmed Peruzzi as first-choice goalkeeper during his first year as Italy’s coach. Nonetheless, after a match against Norway in 1999, Zoff decided to give Gianluigi Buffon the starting spot, and Peruzzi, who was overtaken even by Francesco Toldo, decided not to participate in the Euro 2000 as the third goalkeeper. Peruzzi did not play for Italy again until making a substitute appearance in a friendly against Spain on 28 April 2004, and was subsequently called up by Giovanni Trapattoni as the team’s third keeper behind Buffon and Toldo at Euro 2004. In August 2005, he was the starter in two World Cup qualifiers against Scotland and Belarus, while Buffon was shelved with a shoulder injury; Peruzzi then served as second goalkeeper (behind Buffon) in the 2006 World Cup under Marcello Lippi, as Italy won the tournament for the fourth time. Even though he did not take the field, teammate Daniele De Rossi highlighted Peruzzi’s important role in the squad as a key dressing room personality, due to his leadership and experience. Peruzzi retired from international football after the tournament.
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The 2006 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 9 July 2006 at the Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany, to determine the winner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Italy beat France on penalties after the match finished 1–1 after extra time. France’s Zinedine Zidane was sent off in his last-ever match, for headbutting Italy’s Marco Materazzi’s chest in retaliation to Materazzi’s verbal provocation.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, conceded by Marco Materazzi, which glanced off the underside of the crossbar and into the goal. Materazzi then levelled the scores in the 19th minute, a header from six yards following an Andrea Pirlo corner from the right. 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.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. As Zidane and Materazzi were jogging up the pitch close to each other, they briefly exchanged words after Materazzi was seen tugging at Zidane’s jersey before Zidane began to walk away from him. Moments later, Zidane suddenly stopped, turned around and head-butted Materazzi’s chest, knocking him to the ground. Although play was halted, referee Horacio Elizondo did not appear to have seen the confrontation. According to match officials’ reports, fourth official Luis Medina Cantalejo informed Elizondo of the incident through his headset. After consulting his assistants, Elizondo issued Zidane a red card in the 110th minute. It marked the 14th overall expulsion of Zidane’s career, and joined him with Cameroon’s Rigobert Song as the only players ever to be sent off during two separate World Cup tournaments. He also became the fourth player red-carded in a World Cup final, in addition to being the first sent off in extra time. Extra time produced no further goals and a penalty shoot-out followed, which Italy won 5–3. France’s David Trezeguet, the man who scored the golden goal against Italy in the Euro 2000 final, was the only player not to score his penalty; his spot kick hit the crossbar, leaving Fabio Grosso – who scored Italy’s first goal in the semi-final against Germany – to score the winning penalty.
Watch the Fifa World Cup 2006 Final’s highlights
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This shirt was issued for Gianluigi Buffon for the Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006” but never worn. The player always used the golden and the red versions above and never this blue version, that perhaps was prepared as third goalkeeper’s shirt. While he never worn it, his former wife at that time Alena Seredova used it to cheer his husband during World Cup games.
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Gigi Buffon finished second to compatriot Fabio Cannavaro in the 2006 Ballon d’Or and eighth in the FIFA World Player of the Year for his performances that season, and was named in the 2006 FIFPro World XI and the 2006 UEFA Team of the Year.
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Inzaghi’s persistent knee and ankle injuries put a halt to his international play for almost two years before his resurgence at club level, which resulted in being called up by Italy coach Marcello Lippi for the 2006 World Cup final tournament. Due to the abundance of other top strikers such as Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti and Luca Toni, Inzaghi made his only appearance – subbing on for Alberto Gilardino — in Italy’s final group stage match against the Czech Republic on 22 June 2006, scoring his only goal in the tournament, rounding Petr Čech in a one-on-one encounter to net in Italy’s second goal, which made him the oldest player to have scored for Italy in a World Cup, after Daniele Massaro. Italy went on to win the tournament, defeating France on penalties in the final. Following Italy’s fourth World Cup victory, Inzaghi made six appearances under new manager Roberto Donadoni in Italy’s UEFA Euro 2008 qualification campaign, scoring three goals, two of which came in a 2–1 away win against the Faroe Islands on 2 June 2007. He was not called up for the final tournament, however, where Italy were eliminated by eventual champions Spain in the quarter-finals on penalties, and he made his last appearance for Italy on 8 September 2007, in a 0–0 draw against France in Milan.Inzaghi is currently the sixth-highest goalscorer in the Italian national team’s history, with 25 goals, alongside Adolfo Baloncieri and Alessandro Altobelli.
ITALY NATIONAL TEAM
Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006”
Italy vs France
Match Issued Ball & Italy Team Signed Ball
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The +Teamgeist ball was the official football for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. The plus sign in its name was introduced for trademark purposes, since the regular German word Teamgeist, meaning “team spirit”, could not be trademarked. The ball was designed by the Adidas Innovation Team and the Molten Corporation and is made by Adidas, which has provided the balls used in all World Cup matches since the 1970 World Cup when the Telstar was introduced. The +Teamgeist ball differs from previous balls in having just 14 curved panels (making the ball topologically equivalent to a truncated octahedron), rather than the 32 that have been standard since 1970. Like the 32 panel Roteiro which preceded it, the +TeamGeist panels are bonded together, rather than stitched. It is claimed to be rounder and to perform more uniformly regardless of where it is hit, and being almost waterproof, it does not get heavier in wet weather. Each of the 32 qualified federations received 40 match balls for training purposes. Match balls for the 2006 FIFA World Cup were personalized with the name of the stadium, the teams, the match date, and the kick-off time of each individual game, under a protective coating. A special match ball was used for the final game — the “+Teamgeist Berlin”. The design is the same as the other match balls, but accented in gold, with black and white details. Both qualified federations (France and Italy) received 20 of these versions for training purposes.There is also a gold +Teamgeist ball. Although it had been planned to include an electronic tracking system in the ball, this was abandoned after a trial at the 2005 Under-17 World Championship in Peru. The Teamgeist was the first World Cup ball to not have the traditional 32 panels. Instead, the ball is made up of 14 panels, which means that the number of three-panel touch points is reduced by 60% (60 to 24) and the total length of the panel lines falls by over 15% (400.5 cm to 339.3 cm). Building on the introduction of thermal bonding technology in 2004, the Teamgeist ball is the first time Adidas has used this in a World Cup. Loughborough University conducted extensive comparative testing on the ball, along with the Adidas football laboratory in Scheinfeld, Germany.
ITALY NATIONAL TEAM
Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006”
Player Participation Medal
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This is a Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006” participation medal given to all the players of the World Cup. It belonged to an Italy Team player. It was made by “GDE Bertoni”, a trophy and medal manufacturer based in Milan, Italy. Until 1995, the company was known as ‘Bertoni Milano’. The company’s most famous production is the FIFA World Cup Trophy, which it made in 1971 after winning an international competition. The firm’s other notable works include the UEFA Cup trophy, the UEFA Super Cup and the Olympic Order.
ITALY NATIONAL TEAM
Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006”
Match Used Tickets and Hospitality Pass
ITALY NATIONAL TEAM
Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006”
Italy Delegation Pennant
ITALY NATIONAL TEAM
Fifa World Cup “GERMANY 2006”
Italy vs France
Olympiastadion
Sealed Field Grass
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This is a portion of the real field of the “Olympiastadion” in Berlin where the Fifa World Cup “Germany 2006” Final took place on July 9th 2006. The whole field after the World Cup has been renovated and the old field was sold in grass portions sealed in to resin bricks. The Olympiastadion (German pronunciation: [oˈlʏmpi̯aˌʃtaːdi̯ɔn] (listen); English: Olympic Stadium) is a sports stadium at Olympiapark Berlin in Berlin, Germany. It was originally built by Werner March for the 1936 Summer Olympics. During the Olympics, the record attendance was thought to be over 100,000. Today the stadium is part of the Olympiapark Berlin. Since renovations in 2004, the Olympiastadion has a permanent capacity of 74,475 seats and is the largest stadium in Germany for international football matches. The Olympiastadion is a UEFA category four stadium. Besides its use as an athletics stadium, the arena has built a footballing tradition. Since 1963, it has been the home of the Hertha BSC. It hosted three matches in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. It was renovated for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, when it hosted six matches, including the final. The DFB-Pokal final match is held each year at the venue. The Olympiastadion Berlin served as a host for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup as well as the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final. It will host the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship final, including 5 other games.
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“Celebrate the Day” is a single by Herbert Grönemeyer featuring duo Amadou et Mariam that was adopted as the official theme song for the 2006 FIFA World Cup held in Germany. The song appears on the CD “Zeit, dass sich was dreht”. Even if it was the official World Cup, the real song that shortly became the fans anthem of the Fifa World Cup “Germany 2006” was definitely The White Stripes’s song “Seven Nation Army” that until today is very often sung by soccer fans around the world to celebrate team’s goals.