The Guardian | Monday July 10 2006 5 Italy France Gianluigi Fabien Buffon 7 Barthez 5 Zidane’s No chance early penalty with gave him no Materazzi’s chance. Not bullet header troubled until past the and rarely tested hour, when he made thereafter. Helplessly as two fine stops. Italy’s penalties flew in. Gianluca Willy Zambrotta 7 Sagnol 5 Menaced Struggled down the initially to get right with his forward overlapping although, as runs past Camoranesi. Italy tired, linked well Booked for a flying with Ribéry. Booked for a scythe on Vieira. stamp on Grosso’s toes. Marco Lilian Materazzi 6 Thuram 8 Had a Another shocking colossal, start, all-action conceding a performance, penalty despite minimal both in the air and on the contact. Atoned with ground. Unlucky to be on equaliser. the losing side. Fabio William Cannavaro 7 Gallas 7 After an Performed an immaculate excellent start he smothering looked job on Toni unusually flustered in and rarely troubled by the second half but what Italy threw at him. recovered his poise. Fabio Eric Grosso 7 Abidal 5 Came Regularly forward troubled by whenever he the silky one- could. The twos between final ball tended to let Camoranesi and him down but he often Zambrotta and rarely an had only Toni to aim for. attacking threat either. Andrea Patrick Pirlo 8 Vieira 5 Grabbed the Never looked game by the 100% fit. At scruff of the fault for Italy’s neck when equaliser, Italy went behind allowing Materazzi to before he set up the muscle ahead of him. Left France’s Florent Malouda is brought down by Marco Materazzi leading to the penalty which Zinédine Zidane duly converted Tony O’Brien/Action Images equaliser. Faded later. clutching his hamstring. Gennaro Claude Gattuso 5 Makelele 6 A strangely Typical Materazzi and Gattuso shine on brightest fitful Makelele — performance, defensive which lacked blockading his usual Mutley bark or and doing subtle things stage after bleak stints in Britain bite. Not one of his right. Decisions went better games. against him. Mauro Franck Camoranesi Ribéry Jon Brodkin Berlin butted in the chest by Zinédine Zidane, and with his distribution, he has made 7 7 complained angrily to a referee's assistant Italy’s other triumphs significant contributions. Pace and His pace about that — much to the annoyance of If the Internazionale player touched trickery frightened Viewers in Glasgow and Merseyside may France's coach Raymond Domenech — Italy 1934 Malouda to concede the early penalty it embarrassed Italy, although Abidal, many mazy have wondered whether they needed to and scored in the shoot-out. Zidane Stadio Nazionale de PNF, Rome looked marginal but there was no doubt- although several times runs were let down by the adjust their televisions as Italy cavorted rightly, if somewhat sadly, received a red Italy 2 Orsi 81, Schiavio 95 ing the contact he got when he brought the winger ran into final ball. Nearly scored about the pitch to celebrate their World card for sending Materazzi to the turf and Czechoslovakia 1 Puc 71 the scores level from one of several dan- alleys rather than pass. in extra-time. Cup triumph. Among the joyous players walked glumly towards the dressing In a hail of fascist salutes and under gerous set pieces delivered by Pirlo. It was were none other than Gennaro Gattuso rooms past the trophy that Materazzi and the watchful eye of Mussolini, the plain what that meant to him as he raised Francesco Zinédine and Marco Materazzi. Anyone who had Gattuso would later kiss and dance with. hosts took the title. in delight a heavily tattooed arm that fea- Totti 4 Zidane 5 suggested during that pair's spells in There were suggestions that Materazzi tures the word lion and his date of birth in A nice move Scored Britain that they would go on to play had tweaked one of Zidane's nipples and France 1938 Roman numerals. when he France’s major parts in winning football's most said something provocative to the retir- Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris Materazzi may not be a delicate player, linked with opener and coveted trophy would probably have been ing maestro. If true such behaviour was Italy 4 Colaussi 6 35, Piola 16 82 and has benefited from having Cannavaro Camoranesi was at the laughed at. uncalled for but it neither excused Hungary 2 Titkos 7, Sarosi 69 beside him, but his penalty was calmly and played in Toni but heart of most of their otherwise a dire show best moves. But then Gattuso's time at Rangers and Mater- Zidane's retaliation nor is likely to have Italy became the first side to win the dispatched and a couple of his defensive from Italy’s fantastista butted Materazzi. azzi's season at Everton gave no hint that surprised Everton fans. To say Materazzi cup on foreign soil, though the side contributions stood out. In the first half a they were destined for such heights. Yet left the Premiership with a chequered dis- were again under the shadow of strong but perfectly timed tackle robbed Simone Florent both have taken their careers to new levels ciplinary history would be putting it fascism. It was to be the last World Zidane at a vital moment and later he got Perrotta 5 Malouda 4 since returning to Serie A and were key mildly. While at Goodison Park he was Cup for 12 years. an important touch to snuff out a move Began Won a penalty figures in this final, while Gattuso in par- sent off three times in 27 appearances. that Franck Ribéry was hoping to finish. brightly but after what ticular has been a huge influence for Italy The 32-year-old even collected a red Spain 1982 It has been a long journey to these then Ashton- looked over the tournament. card at this tournament, albeit harshly Bernabéu, Madrid heights for Materazzi, who 10 years ago under- minimal Deep in extra-time when plenty around against Australia, and his part in the suc- Italy 3 Rossi 56, Tardelli 68, had a spell in Serie C with Capri and left Lyme’s second favourite contact from Materazzi. him were flagging, the 28-year-old found cess must have been beyond his wildest Altobelli 80 Everton to return to Perugia. Gattuso's son faded in both attack Had an undistinguished the energy to twice charge back and dis- dreams. Italy's central defensive pairing West Germany 1 Breitner 83 road has also been tough. Though an and defence. game after that. possess Florent Malouda when France of Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta picks Paolo Rossi scores his sixth goal of effective battler as a youngster at Rangers, Luca Thierry were threatening to counter-attack dan- itself when both are fit. It was Materazzi's the tournament and Italy win the the no one could have predicted then that he Toni Henry gerously. Such ability to break up play and good fortune that Nesta sustained an title for the third time. Marco Tardelli would later win a Champions League with 4 7 Lolloped Took a while also to move on possession soundly has injury early in the third group game adds a memorable second and Milan and a World Cup with his country. forlornly for to get going made him one of Italy's five most impor- against the Czech Republic and never Alessandro Altobelli makes the He left Ibrox for £3.5m in 1998 for most of the after being tant players at this World Cup with Fabio made it back. trophy safe before Paul Breitner unglamorous Salernitana, offloaded by match but he winded but Cannavaro, Andrea Pirlo, Gianluca Zam- Materazzi may have sensed he was scores a late consolation for Dick Advocaat, but his tenacious, effective had a header that hit exploded in the second brotta and Gigi Buffon. destined for something special when he Germany. play soon earned him a move to Milan. It the bar and another half. Fine run past Perotta Materazzi could only have made him- scored within 10 minutes of coming on in would be fitting if he had the word lion effort disallowed. and Cannavaro. self more talked about here if he had that game to help Italy take a giant step Other finals inked on his skin, too. Unglamorous he Substitutes Substitutes played without kit. Adjudged to have towards the second round, and he Mexico 1970 Brazil 4 Italy 1 and Materazzi may be but winning World De Rossi (Perrota, 61) 6 Diarra (Vieira, 56) 3 fouled Malouda to concede the penalty returned from his suspension to play in USA 1996 Brazil 0 Italy 0 Cups requires far more than glamour. Iaquinta (Totti, 61) 5 Trezeguet (Ribéry, 99) 3 from which France took the lead, he the last two matches. While he may lack (Brazil won 3-2 on pens) Viewers in Glasgow and Merseyside can Del Piero (Camoranesi, Wiltord (Henry, 107) 5 equalised with a towering header, was the skills of Cannavaro in his defending stop trying to retune their sets now. 61) 5 Ratings: Sean Ingle 63mins 73mins 77mins 99mins 104mins 109mins Pens France catch the Toni collects the The mercurial Pirlo Ribéry picks up the Sagnol’s cross from Zidane is caught by Pirlo and Wiltord Italian defence ball just by the steps up for ball on the left the right finds aiming a headbutt score the openers square as Henry penalty spot with another free-kick, and plays a one- Zidane completely at Materazzi’s chest and Materazzi moves in from his back to goal this time some 35 two with Malouda unmarked on the after a verbal makes it 2–1 to the right, beats and Abidal behind yards out and to which sees him penalty spot.