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The last final of the World Cup to be decided on penalty kicks was back in 1994. Back then luck wasn't on Italy's side. But in 2006, the story is entirely different. Italy is the new World Champion after defeating France 5-3 on a penalty kick shoot-out after a 1-1 tie held since the 19th minute of play all the way to the end of overtime. The game was a good one, there was a lot of passing and good skill on the ball (particularly by Frenchman Thierry Henry). However, the Italian defense once again proved that it is not easy to beat. The French goal came in the 5th minute of play via penalty kick, but the tricolor got right back in it after a corner kick was headed into Fabien Barthez's goal just 14 minutes later.

The Italians were superior in the first half of play, but Thierry Henry was (from my perspective) an inspired man the second half. However, France could do nothing to break the Italian defense. Once in overtime, the game started taking tones of demencia, with both sides tired. France lost Henry and Vieira to fatigue and injury, but they still seemed to be doing well and were more persistent in attack, that is until the second half of overtime when Zidane went crazy. Clearly frustrated by goalkeeper Buffon stopping his header on goal with a spectacular save just a few minutes earlier, he lost his cool and mistook Italian Materazzi for the ball or something like that, giving him a header that sent him flying into the back of the net...well, not quite so dramatic, but he did assault the Italian player after he was supposedly called a "sissy girl" by the man. This, of course, cost Zizou a red card and expulsion in the last game of his career. He has been known to loose his head before and do crazy stuff like this but not in the final with, like, twelve billion people watching.

Still, play went on and finally there was no other choice but penalty kicks. It is noteworthy that neither of the two keepers were able to make a single save. Rather, it was Trezeguet's shot that just hit the bottom of the post and bounced outside after the Italian keeper was beat. I have to take personal responsibility for this because I told French coach Raymond Domenech to put in Trezeguet in overtime (from my tv screen) and a minute later he apparently heard me (I wield strange and unusual powers). However, it was also eerily similar to Roberto Baggio's erred penalty in the '94 final, only this time it was in favor of the azzurri.

Finally, Italy played well with an amazing defense which still did not allow a 'normal' goal in the entire tournament and, though it's a tough way to say goodbye to Zidane, it was still a well earned championship. I also realized how similar these world class players are to ourselves when Mauro Camoranessi, Italian wing-man, let his teammates cut off his long hair after the win (similar to the hair-cutting incidents after varsity championships in high school). Well, its been an amazing World Cup and Italians everywhere have every reason to celebrate, while the Bienvenu's of the world try to hold back their tears. This is the end of the Cup...until 2010!

PS There were 4 Argentines who received medals at the end of the cup. 3 included the referee and his assistants, while the other was Mauro Camoranessi, who was actually born in Argentina and nationalized in Italy. This is but a taste of what is to come in four years!