64 games and 147 goals have been and gone, and another World Cup has come to an end.
It’s Italy who have taken the game’s greatest prize, but who were the other winners and losers?

With the strange familiar symmetry that often straddles football, it was obvious that the Azzurri would reign in Germany 2006.
A growing 12-year cycle of reaching the Final was one clue. More so, that their domestic game is gripped by corruption scandal.
So it was in 1982 when Italy last lifted the famous golden trophy, and so it is in 2006 as four of Serie A’s top clubs await the outcome of a tribunal looking in to allegations of widespread match-fixing.
Although not implicated in the accusations, no fewer than 13 of their 23-man playing squad, and a number of the backroom team, travelled to their European neighbours in the knowledge that they faced an uncertain future.
Away from the lurid headlines and rumours in their German training camp, the Italians gelled in to a formidable unit led by their inspirational coach, Marcello Lippi.
Undoubtedly their leader on the pitch was their captain - the fabulous Fabio Cannavaro. Relatively small in stature for a centre-back, the Juventus defender once again proved to be immense in heart and ability.
With a superb level of performance throughout seven games, to the majority, it remains one of the surprises of the tournament that he didn’t win the Golden Shoe award.
Fabio at least had the rather significant consolation of receiving the World Cup trophy at the end of his 100th international game.
The most pleasant surprise of the tournament? No doubt. It was the fans.
They were maybe extreme opinions, but many in authority feared the mid-summer meeting of nations in Europe was a powder-keg waiting to explode.
Except for a couple of isolated incidents (more arrests were reported at Royal Ascot), it was nothing of the sort.
Football followers from around the globe mingled as one to produce a month-long carnival. And long may it continue.
From the supporter perspective, the whole event was well-organised and excellently policed as they were made to feel welcome.
Indeed, fans were actively encouraged to travel even if they did not have a match ticket. They were seen as an opportunity rather than a problem.
Against their perceived stereotype, the hosts proved to be unfailingly hospitable, friendly, helpful… and they do have a sense of humour!
In a wider historical context, Germany can be justifiably proud of their Nationalmannschaft and flowering sense of patriotism.
One commentator observed that this was the tournament when football supporters grew up. He may have a point.
Somewhat unfair but, sadly, the fans’ good nature and honest enthusiasm was all too rarely reflected on the pitch.
Tactically, will this tournament be remembered for the ‘Death of the Striker’?
As Germany 2006 progressed, it became more apparent that coaches would win - and lose - the World Cup while the game’s leading marksmen slowly drifted away from the spotlight.
4-5-1 became the norm, with Germany’s Jurgen Klinsmann being a worthy exception of a coach who tried to innovate rather than replicate.
Former Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino reflected in his column in The Times: “How long before centre-forward stops becoming the most glamorous position on the pitch?
“The game is not 90 minutes for strikers anymore. It is 70, if they are lucky.
“Whether two up front or one, they are excepted to run themselves to exhaustion, then make way for fresh legs.
“It is a consequence of the new role that strikers are being asked to perform; to make defenders weary.
“Coaches want athletes up front; whether they score is secondary. When they get tired, one runner is replaced by another.
A shaft of light for this dying breed is, seemingly, Germany striker Lukas Podolski who was named Young Player of the Tournament. Although, as the award was announced before the tournament was completed (it was infact before the 3rd Place Play-Off), it was another example of FIFA not helping themselves.
An even sourer note was that this is the same Podolski who spent a good deal of his World Cup rolling around on the floor, and who patted the referee on the back after an opponent (Sweden’s Teddy Lucic) was sent-off.
And who was in second place? Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Enough said.
One of the enduring memories of Germany 2006 will be the wholly unacceptable level of play-acting and diving. The referees are in the unenviable position of trying to deal with it. As this World Cup brought a record number of yellow and red cards, it would seem they had little effect. Clearly, the refs need some help.
A change in the players’ attitudes would be the best option but, as they show little sign of even acknowledging the desire for improvement, it looks like FIFA have a problem.
Considering their traditional pre-World Cup bravado, and unless they wish to have their nice big yellow flags with the ‘Fair Play’ endorsement remaining a mockery, surely the use of video evidence and retrospective punishment has to be seriously explored.
World Cup tournaments have the most state-of-the-art hi-tech camera equipment per square mile than any other event and, although millions - if not billions - of TV viewers can almost instantly see what has gone on, FIFA appear to take a blinkered - if not blindfolded - approach.
Despite being miced-up, the difficulties encountered between match officials trying to communicate between themselves suggests it will not be straightforward.
Put another way though, if good men do nothing, cheats will continue to prosper.
The argument that match conditions should be identical whether it be the World Cup Final or the Drum & Monkey’s Sunday League game on Hackney Marshes remains ludicrous.
The number of amateur games without a referee rises year on year, and that’s not to mention assistant referees, fourth officials and so on.
The World Cup finals are a stand alone event that should showcase the game and set the standards for others to aspire to.
Sadly, messrs Podolski and Ronaldo are not alone in their less desirable activities. Diving is now endemic and it’s time for strong action to be taken.
Of course, in a World Cup alarmingly short of enduring images, the single lasting image will be that of the great Zinedine Zidane - ten minutes from the end of his glorious career - viciously head-butting Italy defender Marco Materazzi in the chest.
The explanations and excuses will pass in to World Cup folklore but the flaw of a genius meant that, possibly on the verge of his greatest moment, he trudged away to the most graceless exit imaginable.
Taking the wider, The Independent’s chief sports writer James Lawton sighed the frustration of many: “Football’s fundamental need is not a review of its rules but a scourging of its spirit.
“That one of its greatest players, a father of four sons, a man surely aware that every nuance of his performance, even the expression on his face was being examined in close-up by a television audience of more than a billion, should behave with such shockingness, like a back-alley thug, is perhaps the ultimate example of how the game of the world so frequently loses not only its head but also its conscience.”
And finally, England. The team of individuals who failed to grasp the greatest opportunity of the collective life time. And when will the Three Lions ever have a greater chance of winning the World Cup again?
It’s tempting to suggest that this was a cracking tournament that was spoilt by the football!

Azzurri banish penalty blues to beat Les Bleus

Headbutt. No buts, Zizou ends in disgrace

—– At the end of a remarkable night in Berlin, Italy become World Cup champions for the fourth time as - at least for one night - they can forget about the match-fixing scandal that has shook their domestic game to the very core.
Although not personally implicated in the alleged corruption, 13 of the Azzurri squad have claimed the game’s greatest prize despite facing an uncertain future.
It’s a fairytale story in itself amid a night of high drama in Germany.
The Italians, who had lost all three of the previous penalty shoot-outs in the World Cup finals, beat France 5-3 on penalties in exemplary fashion after the Final ends 1-1 after extra time.
The heart-stopping conclusion is preceded by one of the most astonishing incidents in the 76-year history of the competition.
France legend Zinedine Zidane - in the last game of his glorious career - is shamefully sent-off with only ten minutes to play following a vicious headbutt in to the chest of defender Marco Materazzi.
Ironically, the same duo are the scorers of the game’s only goals.
With only seven minutes on the clock, Zidane casually converted a penalty although his nerveless effort nearly failed as his shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced just over the line.
Materazzi had conceded the penalty but the former Everton centre-back redressed the balance in the 19th minute when he equalised with a towering header.
Italy dominated much of the rest of the first-half but France, despite their team’s advancing years, held sway for much the remainder until Zidane’s bizarre dismissal.
Italy were the victims the only other time that a World Cup Final went to penalties (against Brazil in 1994) but they had no such problems on this occasion.
With all five of their kicks superbly converted, the 18th World Cup Final was decided by France’s second attempt by David Trezeguet that hits the bar but stays out.
It’s left to left-back Fabio Grosso to seal Italy’s first World Cup Final victory since 1982 and spark amazing scenes of celebration in the Olympic Stadium and across Italy.
Captain Fabio Cannavaro - one of the starts of the tournament and playing in his 100th international - has the honour of lifting the famous golden trophy.
Coach Marcello Lippi tries to capture the Italian elation: “I have to say thanks to the players. This is the most satisfying moment of my life.
“I dedicate the victory to my family. The players have unlimited heart, character and personality.
“Winning the World Cup is the greatest satisfaction that any coach or footballer can ever feel.”
Meanwhile, France coach Raymond Domenech tries to explain Zidane’s outburst: “When one has to put up with what Zidane had to and the referee doesn’t do anything, one understands. You can’t excuse it, but you can understand it.
“To see him finish his career in this way is sad. He has had a great career and a great World Cup.
“Something must have happened but I don’t know what. I don’t think he decided out of the blue to headbutt him, that he wanted to leave the pitch, something must have happened.
“The referee saw nothing, the assistant referee saw nothing and then we have the fourth official seeing the video replay and telling the referee.”

Germany claim bronze prize

End of the international line for Kahn, Figo and Pauleta

—– Germany complete their World Cup as they claim third place with a 3-1 win against Portugal in Stuttgart.
The hosts’ involvement adds more spice than usual to a 3rd / 4th Play-Off game and, with all the goals coming in the second half, the enthusiastic home crowd are rewarded with a convincing win.
Midfielder Bastian Schweinstieger is the surprising goalscoring hero with a brace of long-range efforts.
He also supplied the cross that Armando Petit turned in to his own net.
Nuno Gomes added a late consolation when he converted a trademark cross from Luis Figo.
The 33 year-old Portuguese legend, who had just come on as a sub, confirmed his international retirement immediately after the game, as did record scorer Pedro Pauleta.
37 year-old keeper Oliver Kahn captained Germany in his only game of the tournament and the last of his international career.
Excepting a remarkable performance from any of the other French or Italian players, unless Thierry Henry scores at least twice in tomorrow’s Final, Germany’s Miroslav Klose will win the Golden Boot as the 18th World Cup finals’ leading scorer.
The Germany team return to Berlin in the morning and will take part in a parade along the Fan Mile with an estimated one million supporters expected to attend.
Defender Christoph Metzelder anticipates the perfect finale: “It was a lot of fun, a lot of fun to win 3-1. It’s a good conclusion to a great World Cup.
“It was the fans who really lifted us the last two days. We didn’t expect to get such a great welcome here in Stuttgart. They made us really hot for the match.
“Tomorrow on the Brandenburg Gate will be a big highlight we’re looking forward to.”