Italy conquer world
Football's most prized Trophy may be in Italian hands but Marcello Lippi's Azzurri were not the only ones celebrating after a FIFA World Cup™ where both the players and their German hosts gave football lovers so much to smile about.
From Germany's victory over Costa Rica in the Opening Match in Munich on 9 June to Italy's triumph over France in the Final in Berlin exactly one month later, events in Germany kept an estimated worldwide audience of more than 30 billion people captivated.
All looked on as a cast list incorporating 32 teams from Angola to the USA conspired to excite and enthral during a 64-match, 147-goal marathon attended by 3,359,439 people in the 12 stadiums – and millions more in Fan Fests across Germany.
The presence of France in the Final had been predicted by few but Zinedine Zidane rolled back the years to help Les Bleus see off Spain and Brazil en route to the Final. His efforts earned him the adidas Golden Ball but although he found the net against Italy – eight years after scoring twice in the 1998 Final – there was no happy ending as his farewell appearance concluded with a red card. While Zidane is now part of France's past, Frank Ribery's performances in Germany hinted at a bright future.
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