He may have been sent off in the World Cup final for some proper street style brawling but he's still the best player in the World according to journalists who voted for him at half-time yesterday.
Yesterday Zinedine Zindane was confirmed as the World Cup's best player, despite the sending off for headbutting Marco Materazzi.
Italy won the 2006 World Cup tonight after beating France on penalties. They are now crowned kings of football for four years.
Italy and France didn't play the best football during the tournament but they did what was necessary to get to the final and that's what it is all about.
A Zinedine Zidane penalty in the 32nd minute was enough to see France beat Portugal and take them to the final of the 2006 World Cup in Berlin this weekend.
Portugal came out fighting and attacked well but the French calm and composure that they've become known for was enough to see them through. Zidane was again the likely French candidate for man of the match.
On possession alone Italy should have won, let alone the two goals deep in extra time.
Germany sat back for most of the match and looked a little lost in the first of the semi-finals.
Germany tonight play Italy and the winner will be one step closer to World Cup glory this weekend. Confident German coach Jurgen Klinsmann says "Italy deserve a lot of respect - they have a long and proud footballing history.
"They are one of the best teams in the world, and that's why they are in the final four - but we will go for it.
German midfielder Torsten Frings has been suspended for the World Cup semi-final against Italy on Tuesday, a FIFA spokesman said.
FIFA launched an investigation after television executives from Italy said they had found evidence that Frings threw a punch at Argentina forward Julio Ricardo Cruz in the fracas that followed Germany's quarter-final shoot-out win last Friday.
England fans hoped they would beat Portugal and Brazil fans expected to beat France but both sets of supporters are disappointed tonight.
England never really created chances, much like their previous games but managed to survive to penalties. Brazil were taught how to play Brazilian football by the French. The football tonight was nice to watch.
Brazil, who will from today be known as the team who don't know how to lose, not so comfortably brushed aside a Ghana in the early game today three nil.
Brazil will play France who beat one of my early tournament favourites, Spain three one, on Saturday
It wasn't the best game of the World Cup but neither team can be faulted for effort. Both teams hit the wood-work and both teams went close but it came down to penalties and one team was always going to be unlucky.
Both teams missed the first and Switzerland went on to miss them all. Ukraine went through to the quarter finals 3-0 after taking four penalties.
If you're an Australian you're going to be feeling gutted at the moment so we'll keep this short and sweet. Italy are through to the quarter finals thanks to another poor referring decision.
Italy were reduced to 10 men after 50 minutes and will consider themselves lucky to have won but they did put the work in.
Page 1 of 12
