The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is almost here, so HITC Football has taken a look back at the Team of the Tournament at Germany 2006 – including Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane.
Germany hosted the 18th edition of the quadrennial Fifa competition 16 years ago. It was the second time that the European nation had held the event, having also hosted the 1974 tournament. But unlike in 1974, Die Mannschaft could not win the World Cup as the hosts.
Italy took global bragging rights at Germany 2006 for their fourth and most recent World Cup title. The Azzurri overcame France 5-3 on penalties in the final at the Olympiastadion after a 1-1 draw after extra-time. Yet the Berlin tie remains Italy’s last knockout stage win.
The Azzurri bowed out of the following World Cups at South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 in the group stages. Things have not improved for Italy since, either, with the country failing to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia and again for the upcoming edition in Qatar.
Italy’s decline on the global stage is a stark contrast to their successes in Germany 16 years ago. The Azzurri dominated the Team of the Tournament at the 2006 World Cup, with five of the 11 positions taken by Marcello Lippi’s team. France had the second-most with three.
Only one of the 11 players who made the Team of the Tournament at the 2006 World Cup in Germany are still playing today. So, with that in mind, HITC Football takes a look back at the all-star side from 16 years ago and what became of their careers after the competition…
Gianluigi Buffon (GK): 2006 World Cup winner made the Team of the Tournament
Gianluigi Buffon claimed the Golden Glove and a spot in the Team of the Tournament with his performances for Italy at the 2006 World Cup. The iconic 176-cap goalkeeper kept five clean sheets in seven games. He only conceded once in the group stage and then the final.
The 44-year-old was in inspired form during the World Cup to pose an imperious presence between the sticks. He had become the Azzurri’s starting goalkeeper in 1999 and was their No.1, and captain, until 2018. Buffon retired from international action as an all-time great.
But Buffon has still not yet called time on his club career with the veteran now in Serie B at Parma. The Carrara-born legend returned to his former team in 2021, 20 years after he left to join Juventus. Buffon would initially spend 17 years in Turin, winning nine Serie A titles.
Gianluca Zambrotta (RB): Italian made the Team of the Tournament as a champion
Gianluca Zambrotta earned 98-caps for Italy over an 11-year international career. The full-back made six of his outings during the 2006 World Cup, whilst hitting a goal and an assist in their quarter-final win against Ukraine. The 45-year-old also made a goal-line clearance.
Lippi benefitted from Zambrotta’s versatility throughout the tournament to feature at left or right-back. The Como native would take his defensive knowledge into coaching in 2013. But Zambrotta has not had a job since leaving his role as an assistant at Jiangsu in 2018.
Fabio Cannavaro (CB): World Cup-winning captain made the Team of the Tournament
Fabio Cannavaro remains one of the only defenders to win the Ballon d’Or after taking the most-decorated individual honour in football in 2006. The centre-half was on another level at the World Cup in 2006, as well, as he led Italy to global glory as the captain in Germany.
He was a brick wall at the back protecting Buffon in the net, whilst helping to establish the Azzurri’s counter-attacks. Cannavaro – who Serie B side Benevento recently hired as their head coach – played every minute of Italy’s 2006 World Cup to earn seven of his 136-caps.
Lilian Thuram (CB): French enforcer made the all-star team for the 2006 edition
France made the final of the 2006 World Cup in no small part to Team of the Tournament member Lilian Thuram. The defender was a heroic presence in the Bleus’ line-up, typified by the 142-cap hero’s Man of the Match performance in their semi-final win against Portugal.
Thuram became France’s all-time most-capped player on route to making the final of the 2006 World Cup. It is a record that the centre-half, who opted against pursuing a career as a coach, continues to hold today. But Hugo Lloris is now on the verge of taking the record.
Philipp Lahm (LB): German defender broke onto the World Cup stage on home soil
Philipp Lahm broke onto the World Cup stage on home soil in 2006 as the German legend produced a Team of the Tournament-worthy campaign. He played an instrumental role in Die Mannschaft’s efforts from left-back with an array of consistently impressive displays.
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The 38-year-old would go on to feature in the Team of the Tournament again for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and at Brazil 2014. He was a perfect professional throughout his 113-cap Germany career. Lahm has recently taken up a role as an advisor for VfB Stuttgart.
Luis Figo (RM): Portugal icon captained his nation to fourth place at the World Cup
Luis Figo announced his international retirement in 2004, but the iconic winger returned to captain Portugal during the 2006 World Cup. The Selecao were thrilled to have the winner of the 2000 Ballon d’Or back for one last time as he would bow out to rapturous applause.
The 127-cap icon – now an advisor for UEFA – created Portugal’s goals to beat Angola and Iran in the group stage. Their journey would go on to reach the semi-finals before losing to France. Germany also beat them in the third-place play-off, but Figo added another assist.
Andrea Pirlo (CM): Italian icon was an effortless hero at the 2006 World Cup
Andrea Pirlo was an effortless hero for Italy as they won the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The 116-cap icon was the epitome of cool in their engine room, playing at an unparalleled level to collect the most Man of the Match awards at that year’s tournament with three.
His effortless displays also saw Pirlo secure the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third-best player overall. The 43-year-old continued playing until 2018 when he moved into coaching. He is currently the manager at Karagumruk, after spending 2020/21 in charge of Juventus.
Gennaro Gattuso (CM): The selfless hard worker of the Italian set-up in Germany
Gennaro Gattuso was the selfless hard worker of the Italian set-up in Germany, constantly fighting to win the ball. His work to win possession let Pirlo pull the strings with such ease, and saw the 44-year-old go on to win a second Champions League at AC Milan in 2006/07.
The 73-cap midfielder spent 13 years of his playing career at the San Siro before returning in 2017 as the manager. Gattuso had stood at the helm at Palermo, Crete and Pisa before taking charge of the Rossoneri. He is now the boss at Valencia following a spell at Napoli.
Zinedine Zidane (CAM): French icon pulled the strings before his own controversy
Zidane pulled the strings for France at the 2006 World Cup before ending his tournament in controversial circumstances. The iconic midfielder led Les Bleus all the way to the final in Berlin from a deeper position, using all of his experience to forge endless opportunities.
The 108-cap maestro scored once in the last 16, the winning goal in the semi-final and a Panenka to break the deadlock in the final. He also laid on assists in the Round of 16 and quarter-final to inspire 3-1 and 1-0 wins over Spain and Brazil before eliminating Portugal.
But after Zidane scored from the spot in Berlin, Marco Materazzi drew Italy level. The 41-cap defender and Zidane were embroiled in a personal battle all game, as well, which hit its boiling point in extra-time when an infuriated Zidane headbutted the Azzurri enforcer.
It would be Zidane’s final act as a player as the Marseille-born star had already announced his retirement. He would go into coaching and later became Real Madrid’s manager from 2016 to 2018. But he has not held a role anywhere since leaving Los Blancos again in 2021.
Zidane returned to the Santiago Bernabeu helm in 2019 for a further 114 games in charge after his initial 149. His first spell in charge also saw the Galacticos win three Champions League titles in a row. While his return to the helm led to a second La Liga crown in ‘19/20.
Miroslav Klose (ST): German icon secured the 2006 World Cup Golden Ball award
Germany would finish third at the 2006 World Cup with Miroslav Klose the tournament’s top-scorer with five goals. The centre-forward was the ultimate poacher on home soil to strike the net four times in the group stage and once in the quarter-final against Argentina.
The 137-cap icon’s efforts over the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups also saw Klose score the most goals in the tournament’s history. He boasts 16 and five assists from 24 Fifa competition appearances, and each of his goals remarkably also came during open play.
Thierry Henry (ST): French hero put the Va Va Voom in their 2006 World Cup hopes
Henry put the Va Va Voom into France’s hopes at the 2006 World Cup to earn his place in the Team of the Tournament. The forward hit home once against South Korea and Togo in the group stage and the only effort in Les Bleus’ quarter-final win over Brazil in Frankfurt.
He also found Zidane as the midfielder scored the only goal of the game against Portugal in the semi-final. Henry started all of France’s World Cup games in 2006 for seven of his 123 career caps. He will now go to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup as an assistant with Belgium.
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