Top Games of the 2006 World Cup
While the overall quality of play hasn’t been as good as I would have liked, this World Cup has produced a fair number of games that were exciting and dramatic to watch. I have decided to test my now dilapidated memory and to come up with what I think were the top five games of the tournament. You might agree with some and you might disagree with others. You are more than welcome to share your top five games and convince me you are right.
5. Ivory Coast 3 Serbia and Montenegro 2, First Round
The game had no meaning as both teams had already been eliminated. It also was played the same time as the more highly anticipated Argentina and Netherlands match. But this game turned out to be a fun one to watch with no shortage of end-to-end action and wide open play.
4. Australia 2 Croatia 2, First Round
The two teams were vying for a spot in the Round of 16. The players on each side knew each other very well and the intensity throughout the match was impressive. The final 10 minutes became a circus when referee Graham Poll lost control of the match and lost count of his yellow cards. The image of Mark Viduka racing over to hug Poll right after the final whistle is one that sticks out in my mind.
3. Argentina 1 Germany 1 AET 2-4 on Penalties, Quarterfinals
It was not a masterpiece of a match, but for pure drama it was excellent. Playing in Berlin, Argentina took the lead first only to have Germany claw back to tie it and force the game into a penalty shoot out. German keeper Jens Lehmann put on a shot stopping clinic to lift his nation into the final four. The scuffle afterward only added to the moment.
2. Argentina 2 Mexico 1, Round of 16
This was a game where both teams played attractive, quality football. A pair of early goals stood through the first 90 minutes and the possibility for a penalty shoot out loomed large. Seemingly out of nowhere, Argentina’s Maxi Rodriguez took a ball off his chest and blasted it into the Mexican goal. It was the goal of the tournament in my mind and a great ending to an intense game.
1. Italy 2 Germany 0, Semifinals
Two titans of football met in Dortmund. The first half was played at a breathtaking pace as both teams seemed intent on getting on the scoreboard first. The second half provided a brief lull and after 90 minutes the game was scoreless. Italy hit the woodwork twice in the opening minutes of extra time only to see the ball bounce away. It appeared that the game would go to a penalty shootout but in the 119th minute Fabio Grosso knocked in a beautiful curling shot. Italy capped it off with a goal by Alessandro Del Piero right before the whistle, silencing the host nation and helping to set up what should be a wonderful final against France.
Honorable mention
France vs. Brazil, quarterfinals
Portugal vs. Netherlands, Round of 16
Saudi Arabia vs. Tunisia, First Round (Seriously, I enjoyed that one)
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Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 58 comments.
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By OilerFan | July 7th, 2006 at 6:46 am 
Argentina vs. Mexico was my favorite match…the teams were so evenly matched and both teams played w/ so much hunger and passion, this match was what the WC is about to me. Portugal vs. Holland was entertaining for a whole different reason, the drama! The Arg. vs Serbia & Montenegro was great for the shear fun of watching a side get thrashed by great football and so many goals. I also thought all the matches that Ivory Coast played were great, I still think they were the best team not to make it out of the group stages.
Posted from 
Canada
By Footie Fool | July 7th, 2006 at 7:25 am Cote D’Ivoire’s first 2 group matches vs Argentina and Netherlands were great games. I was expecting an upset in one of those two matches. Both the Italy-USA and Portugal-Dutch games were mesmeriszing for the sheer ferocity and theatrics involved. They were not pretty games, but they were compelling to watch in the same way that you can’t help but look at an accident scene.
Posted from Canada
By Tombo | July 7th, 2006 at 7:56 am As an Aussie, i thought the most thrilling match was Australia vs. Croatia – with both teams extremely desperate to advance to the next round. What made it such a nail-biter was the incompetence of the Australian keeper – Kalac (why they left Schwarzer on the bench i will never really comprehend). Every time the ball went near him i shat myself!
Posted from 
Australia
By Joseph from Malta | July 7th, 2006 at 8:50 am Irishdownunder…..you wet your “downunder” AGAIN?!!
What a lot of crybaby losers you aussies are.
That Totti penalty kick was a fitting end….not to the Australian Football team (brave performance, bravo)…but to all these anti-Italian racists around here.
BTW, it’s not “soccer” (a term coined pig-facedly by the US),
but “Football”….you know, the one in which is played by the Foot (not the hand),
the most popular sport in the world, the one that made the NBA finals in the US lose 80% of share this year.
Posted from 
Malta
By Irishdownunder | July 7th, 2006 at 9:09 am Joseph from Malta my inbred friend, what makes you think I’m Australian?
Posted from Australia
By Hobart | July 7th, 2006 at 9:50 am Soccer is a British term, not American.
Posted from 
United States
By Jenifa | July 7th, 2006 at 10:49 am Ivory Coast vs. Netherlands
Aus vs Jap
spectacular
Posted from 
New Zealand
By Lalrinchhana 'R.Cho' Tochhawng | July 7th, 2006 at 10:52 am I agree with westcoast fan-the Italians are best at doing what they do-well cheat and they are now in the final of the World cup what a bummer. But I would like to complement Lippi for changing the face of Italian Football for playing a more attacking game then they have ever done in the past-but I still think they ought to have gone down to Australia in the round of 16 but for the theatrical artistry of one Fabio Grosso and the incompetentcy of Senor Luis Medina.
I love to call the beautiful game -Football/Futbol, as the world calls and understands it. But it is true soccer is an english term-but who calls it that in England. I see that the americans have popularised that word and a seemingly growing number of people around the world wants to call it soccer-maybe because of their patronising of the USA.
Yes Korea-France was one of the more intense game in this edition, and any game with Switzerland was boring.
France-Spain really good. Zizou is the personification of the saying – Form is temporary, class is permanent.
Will just pick this two.
Posted from 
India
By Brasilianfan | July 7th, 2006 at 11:18 am I have to admit, as a Brazillian, that Argentina had a GREAT team and it represented your country so well. I loved your team because they were fabulous individually, and yet played so well as a team together (unlike our Billion-dollar Brasil team)
Honestly, despite the outcome, they’re still the best and most exciting team of the tournment in my opinion
France is just getting better with each game and they beat real opponents on their way (Spain, Brasil, Portugal) to the Final so, Te Salut Franca!!
I hope the Argentina can put together a team like this next cup.
Finally, just so we can laugh at our msery a little, here’s a story from a Brazillian network, soon after Brasil’s defeat:
(Brazilian Reporter interviewing an Argentinian fan about the two countries similar fate at the end of the Cup)
-”So, did the Argentinian fans feel closer to its neighboors once Brasil was standing as the last S. American country in the tournment?”
-(Arg. fan) Oh Yeah!! We like them so much we decided to bring them back with us!!”
Posted from United States
By ammar | July 7th, 2006 at 12:09 pm SAUDI Vs TUNISIA>>> //by far the best…\
And Parguay Vs Sweden comes in 2nd
Posted from 
Sri Lanka
By Ade Lamidi | July 7th, 2006 at 12:16 pm Two games worth mentioning are
Cote d’Ivoire v Argentina. The Ivorians were shocked by the Argies taking a 2-0 lead but dug in to get a fab goal back through Didier Drogba.
Japan V Brazil was also very interesting to watch. The Japs took a 1-0 lead only for Brazil to come back with 4 fantastic goals.
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By Alvaro | July 7th, 2006 at 12:22 pm Arg vs Mex and T&T v Sweden.
By - FIFA World Cup 2006 - World Cup 2006 Blog | July 7th, 2006 at 2:19 pm [...] Top Games of the 2006 World Cup [...]
Posted from United States
By fred | July 7th, 2006 at 4:48 pm Lalrinchhana ‘R.Cho’ Tochhawng are you really from India. First, your team has to qualify, do they own soccer shoes?
Posted from Canada
By Eric | July 7th, 2006 at 4:48 pm Thank you Alvaro for mentioning the T&T vs. Sweden match. I’ve watched all 62 matches so far and was mesmerized by Shaka Hislop’s performance. That was the most exciting scoreless tie I’ve ever watched. Sweden kept attacking and could not score. Sweden’s fans looked dejected after the match as if their team was eliminated, and the T&T players and fans celebrated as if they had won.
My final comments on Sunday’s final: I expect Italy to beat France since France looked weak during the Portugal match, and Italy looked strong against Germany, but then again, I expected Brazil to beat France, so I’m hoping for an exciting finish to this tournament.
Posted from United States
By Mystique | July 7th, 2006 at 7:40 pm Lol, Irishdownunder. You wouldn’t be originally from Donegal, would you?
Posted from United States
By Mystique | July 7th, 2006 at 7:44 pm It is funny. As one of the best games Italy is only mentioned ones in connection with Germany. What did they do before they actually played a real game? Looking for tricky ways to mess up the German team before the game? I also liked USA vs. Italy because it demonstrated to me what the Italian team is all about, lame, lame lame.
Posted from United States
By Mystique | July 7th, 2006 at 7:48 pm Actually, Brasilianfan, that is very funny. Good thing that people get their sense of humor back. Though I support Germany (DNA thing), I always always loved Brazil.
Posted from United States
By ETucker | July 7th, 2006 at 11:09 pm The France vs. Brazil game was an absolute borefest. There were two clear scoring chances, both for France, and the first one was quashed out by a professional foul.
A MISERABLE game except for some wonderful midfield work from Zidane. However neither team looked great.
Posted from 
Dominican Republic
By Been there | July 8th, 2006 at 12:17 am Italy lame? All of you might want to take your beer goggles off because you wouldn’t know football if 11 guys ran right over you. You’re just angry because Australia and the US lost to Italy, that’s okay, there were plenty of sore losers in Germany too. You should have seen the Mexicans after Argentina beat them in around Leipzig/stadium. Same with the Germans (at least SOME Germans congratulated us). Let’s hope Ireland and the US make the World Cup in four years (probably not), teams like Italy, Argentina, Germany etc. can get in a few practice games before the real ones….oh and by the way, FOUR Italian players shortlisted for MVP. US? Australia? thanks for making it out….keep those Irish eyes smiling too…
By carisa | July 8th, 2006 at 12:17 am I’m actually gonna have to go with one nobody’s said yet. I enjoyed the Mexico vs Angola match, especially the second half. Everytime the ball got near the Angolan goal I held my breathe, only to have the shot saved, again, by Ricardo. Very impressive saves to hold on to the tie.
Posted from United States
By tony | October 17th, 2006 at 8:02 am definitely a great list….for sure the Italy/Germany game is number 1, it was breathtaking, emotional at the end and just amazing to watch from the beginning whistle until the last whistle
Posted from Canada
By gb69 | November 20th, 2006 at 9:38 am Best game of the world cup was Itlay vs Germany, by far.At that stage of the tournament is very rare to see such an open match.Best team was probably Argentina but they got complacent and their coach was incompetent.The Australian they were lucky to be in that position against Italy because the Materazzi sending off was at least harsh…The penalty: if you look at the footage properly you will see the aussie player lifting his elbow and Grosso tripping over it.It was not the most obvious penalty ever given but if you send off Materazzi for a foul he didn’t do….. that was a penalty then…Some of you should show more respect for a nation which has won the cup 4 times, being in the final 6 times, and another two times reached the semifinals….This team is the history of the world Cup.If you love football, you should show more respect for such teams and football nations…..
Posted from United Kingdom
By perico | August 4th, 2007 at 4:17 am Maltese all descend from bastards. Short, fat, hairy bastards. Centuries of inbreeding created a race of imbeciles.
Posted from Malta
By Yaw Asomaning | August 17th, 2007 at 6:39 pm This is one of the greatest worldcups I have ever watch. We really watched exciting matches like those from the legendary world cups of old. France v Brazil, Italy v Germany, Argentina v Italy, the list of such mouth watering clashes was unbelievable. Suddenly I was watching the 70 82, 86,and 90 world cups all at once. It was a world cup of great teams not a world cup of sheer luck and controversy as the 2002 world cup when teams like South korea, Senegel and Turkey spoiled the show
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