& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

GERMANY 2006

The Sky is Azzurri
Outside of Italy at least, there is one image that springs to mind when people recall the 2006 World Cup in Germany - and it isn't Azzurri captain Fabio Cannavaro lifting the famous trophy.
Sadly for France legend Zinedine Zidane, one of the greatest footballers of his and any generation, the crazed head-butt that sent Marco Materazzi flying -- and saw Zidane sent off - near the end of extra-time in the final is what that game, this tournament, and ultimately his career is best remembered for.
Zidane's meltdown, and Italy's victory in the penalty shoot-out that followed shortly afterwards, ensured a dramatic end to a World Cup that had begun with a bang exactly a month earlier when, six minutes into the opening game, Philipp Lahm found the top corner of the net with a stunning long-range shot that sent the hosts on their way to a 4-2 win over Costa Rica.
That Lahm strike was the first of many crackers in an entertaining group stage that saw only five goalless draws in 48 matches as teams, for the most part, went on the attack. Bakari Kone's solo effort for the Ivory Coast against the Netherlands and Esteban Cambiasso's fine finish for Argentina against Serbia and Montenegro were of the top drawer.
Sadly, the goals dried up once it was down to the last 16 teams. Argentina and Mexico fought out a classic, settled by Maxi Rodriguez's thunderbolt, and hosts Germany kept up their dynamic approach on their way as they beat Sweden to reach the last eight.
There was far less verve surrounding England, whose progress ended in the quarterfinals, by Portugal amid controversy, as Wayne Rooney was dismissed for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho, with Cristiano Ronaldo encouraging the referee to send off his then Manchester United club-
mate. At the end of a tense 0-0 draw, came another England defeat in a penalty shoot-out, with Portugal winning 3-1.
Elsewhere, holders Brazil also under-achieved, crashing out to France, while Argentina's defeat to Germany - again on penalties - ensured the semifinals would be all-European affairs.
Marcello Lippi's Italy were far more acclaimed for their defensive play - conceding just two goals during the whole tournament - but they showed how much quality they had going forward too with brilliant late goals from Fabio Grosso and
Alessandro del Piero that took them into a showdown with France, who edged past Portugal thanks to Zidane's penalty.
Apart from the Zidane-Materazzi moment, the final was an open and entertaining game that saw goals from both of its most famous protagonists. France held on to force only the second shoot-out in a World Cup final but Italy, who had lost the first one to Brazil in 1994, were not to be denied and all five of their penalties were successful, with Grosso's proving decisive.
As his players celebrated, an emotional Lippi, the former Juventus coach who had been questioned as part of the match-fixing scandal that had rocked his country weeks before the tournament began, said: "The players have showed unlimited heart, character and personality. Winning the World Cup is the greatest satisfaction that any coach or footballer can ever feel, and this is the most satisfying moment of my life."
FACTS & FIGURES
Winners: Italy
Runners-up: France
Leading Scorer: Miroslav Klose
(GER)-5
Teams: 32
Matches: 64
Goals: 147
Attendance: 3,359,439