Italy Are Champions

**The Stars** · 09/07/2006, 8:48 PM

Not the best mantch ever but there was no short of incident.

**Karlos** · 09/07/2006, 9:17 PM

Well that depends on what makes a game great in your own mind.

I thought it was entralling stuff. Intriging tactical matchup and plenty of incident. Best World Cup final in a long time for me anyway.

**gustavo** · 09/07/2006, 9:23 PM

Thought France deserved to win it more on the night shame about the Zidane incident might overshadow it slightly , feel sorry for Trezeguet as he was unlucky all the penalties were good. But happy for Italy cos i tipped them before the tournament started

**ken foree** · 09/07/2006, 9:41 PM

what did you think about the "offside" toni goal? france were clearly better but italy scored two legit goals (france shoulda had one peno, for the 2nd malouda tackle, not the first dive)

**Marked Man** · 09/07/2006, 9:45 PM

Definitely offside.

**jockser** · 09/07/2006, 9:59 PM

The first penatly was NOT a dive his ankle was definately clipped which i couldnt belive only the BBC picked out. Both ITV and RTE said it was a dive when is wasnt.
But anyway Forza Italia!!! Vaiiiiii!!!!!
Very happy for cannavaro and grosso

**JoeSemi** · 09/07/2006, 10:18 PM

Delighted for the Italians. Not the best team on the night but deserved it over the course of the tournament. A team of outstanding players and, in the main, proper men. I dismissed them before the start of the WC but I take back everything I said now!

Priveleged to say I saw the champions play too

L'Italia s'e desta!!

**pineapple stu** · 09/07/2006, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by Karlos

I thought it was entralling stuff[...]Best World Cup final in a long time for me anyway.

Eh, no. It was an appalling final. It was heading for penalties from about the hour mark. Both teams could pass it about fairly prettily, but when it came to doing something constructive, neither had a notion. Dreadful final, which fairly sums a generally dreadful World Cup.

**FarBeag** · 09/07/2006, 10:44 PM

I am glad the Italians won it; I think they deserved it overall. They had the two most consistent players throughout Gennaro Gattuso and Fabio Cannavaro and a clever manager in Lippi. I don’t think there was one team in the whole of the tournament that really stuck out though apart from Argentina but look what happened to them.Well done to Italy once more.

**Closed Account 2** · 09/07/2006, 10:48 PM

Italy were a very poor side to watch tonight, didnt create anything except headers from set plays. France played much better.

The quality of teams in the competiton seemed to dip after each round.

Now is the time, more than ever, to do well in international football. If we can make it to the Euros or next World Cup, it would probably be the best chance we will ever get.

**FarBeag** · 09/07/2006, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Italy were a very poor side to watch tonight, didnt create anything except headers from set plays. France played much better.

The quality of teams in the competiton seemed to dip after each round.

Now is the time, more than ever, to do well in international football. If we can make it to the Euros or next World Cup, it would probably be the best chance we will ever get.

I agree with you there.The Italians were good in the first half and shaded it ,but for some reason were all defense for the remainder of the game.The reason I think they deserved to win it is because they did it with a very mediocre side when there were better teams in the competition.

Yes..I think we have a good chance ,judging by what i have seen for the past month.I think we would have gone quite a way if we were there this time too.

**ken foree** · 09/07/2006, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by Marked Man

Definitely offside.

due to the other "active" player?? coz i don't think toni was when the ball was played. i'm open to the clipped malouda ankle. the replays i saw were sidelong and from behind, and they both looked like a bad dive.

**Sandro** · 09/07/2006, 11:47 PM

Even a hundrum town like Vicenza is getting crazy tonight...

**Junior** · 10/07/2006, 9:17 AM

Originally Posted by ken foree

due to the other "active" player?? coz i don't think toni was when the ball was played. i'm open to the clipped malouda ankle. the replays i saw were sidelong and from behind, and they both looked like a bad dive.

BBC did a freeze frame and drew the line on screen. All 3 Italians players looked to be offside (it was very marginal though).

**Block G Raptor** · 10/07/2006, 9:22 AM

Italy Conceded 2 goals in their 7 matches. one an OG and the other a Dubious Penalty. If that is not the form of Champions I dont know what is. I have alway's had an irrational dislike of the Italian National team(probably to do with Toto Schilachi in 1990

) but really wanted them to win this from the quaters on. Cannavaro was an absolute Giant for them and IMO there has never been a more deserving wining captain!
Forza Italia ............Deserved World Champions

**NeilMcD** · 10/07/2006, 9:27 AM

Yeah I agreee, Italy were the best side in the competition. Cannavarro was the best player followed closely behind by Gattuso and Pirlo and Zambrotta . They lacked a world class striker but so did France in 1998.

**osarusan** · 10/07/2006, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

Yeah I agreee, Italy were the best side in the competition. Cannavarro was the best player followed closely behind by Gattuso and Pirlo and Zambrotta . They lacked a world class striker but so did France in 1998.

I agree with this.

I think we want to see the World Cup winners banging in goals from all over the place, but that hasnt happened for a while (Argentina '86?). Italy were the best side from a technical and defensive point of view. With a top quality striker, they would have looked much better.

**Sandro** · 10/07/2006, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by osarusan

With a top quality striker, they would have looked much better.

It was actually supposed to be a highly offensive side, with Toni, Gilardino and Totti up front with a big help from Camoranesi, Zambrotta and Grosso on the sides. Then something went wrong mainly due to the poor performance of the two bigs, Toni (81 goals in the last three seasons with Palermo and Fiorentina) and most of all Totti (he was rubbish, whatever media will say).

**micls** · 10/07/2006, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by ken foree

due to the other "active" player?? coz i don't think toni was when the ball was played. i'm open to the clipped malouda ankle. the replays i saw were sidelong and from behind, and they both looked like a bad dive.

What channel were you watching? Toni was marginally offside alright and Malouda was definately clipped although the defender tried to pull out. Was clear enough on the BBC replays

**ken foree** · 10/07/2006, 1:30 PM

Originally Posted by micls

What channel were you watching? Toni was marginally offside alright and Malouda was definately clipped although the defender tried to pull out. Was clear enough on the BBC replays

univision (spanish language u.s. network). i remember saying aloud that he was never offside but that might've been the volka talking.

trying to find a replay of it now.