GOLDEN GENERATIONS: THE STORY OF THE 2006 FIFA MEN’S WORLD CUP by Michael Gallwey
Golden Generations: The Story of the 2006 FIFA Men’s World Cup tells the tale of one of the most action-packed international tournaments in recent memory.
From Philipp Lahm’s extraordinary goal just six minutes in, to Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt, it was a World Cup that had it all.
With all six confederations represented for the first time since 1982, there was a truly global feel to this World Cup. There were subplots attached to almost every nation at the tournament.
Germany were in the midst of a rebuild, the Italians had the cloud of Calciopoli hanging over them and France and England were nearing the end of an era with their talented squads.
Even the debutant nations were filled with household names, from the Touré brothers and Didier Drogba with the Ivory Coast to Dwight Yorke dropping into midfield to captain Trinidad and Tobago.
Golden Generations explores the plots and subplots that defined the 2006 World Cup, from the tournament’s beginnings to the legacy it left behind.
(Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd. July 2023. Hardcover: 352 pages)
Buy the book here: Golden Generations
For 25 years Francesco Totti was the uncrowned king of Rome, donning the famous carmine red jersey of the Italian capital’s eponymous football club more times than any other player and scoring more Serie A goals than any other player in history, bar one. Captain of Roma for twenty years he won every domestic honour as well as the 2006 World Cup with Italy.
When you think about the movers and shakers in UK sports broadcasting over the years, Channel 4 might not necessarily be the first name that comes to mind. However, this was the station that brought coverage of the NFL to these shores, laying the foundations of a generation that has seen the game gain a real foothold in this country as well as broadcasting sumo wrestling from Japan and kabaddi from India which both enjoyed cult followings. A more familiar sport though hit the screens via Channel 4 when they picked up the live television rights to Italy’s top football division Serie A in the early 1990s. The output consisted of two programmes, Gazzetta Football Italia on Saturday mornings, which contained the highlights of the previous week’s matches and a piece on Italian culture and Sunday afternoon live games (although this came to change in later years).
Penalties – Is there any worse way to decide a sporting contest than penalties? How does kicking a ball from 12 yards at all fairly capture the competition of a football match? In many ways, it’s the antithesis of football – static, robotic, poised – there’s none of a game’s spontaneity, energy, flow, but until an alternative is found, it’s the only option available. Even prior to this game, the notion of penalty shootouts had plagued my mind – surely, there’s a better solution? But, in truth, they can’t be matched for sheer drama or tension. Despite the routine practice teams now increasingly put into penalties, there is no way to replicate the situation of a penalty shootout, in a European Final, at home, with the weight of 55 years of history and 65 million people resting on your shoulders. Every player that even considered stepping up for England and Italy deserves huge respect. And those ten players, and not forgetting the two goalkeepers, who took part, are all champions in my mind. The walk from the halfway line is something that often gets mentioned and even that seems virtually impossible in the context of a night such as last night and again seems so out of keeping with the emphasis it places so squarely on individuals in this most collective of team sports. For the England players, especially, the sight of 6’5” Donnarumma surely would have been extra imposing. Watching on, he seemed to typify that old football adage of a goalkeeper ‘filling the goal’. Maybe, it was my own nerves, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a goalkeeper look so substantial and the goal look so small. His height is one thing, but the fact he backs that up with incredible talent is another – and that he was named Player of the Tournament perhaps proves just how much England’s penalty takers had to contend with. Pickford, too, played his part with two vital saves, particularly taking the shootout down to the final spot-kick when he saved from Jorginho. And, of that final spot kick, I cannot praise Bukayo Saka enough. Regardless of what people say about who should and shouldn’t be taking them, the duty fell to Saka, and it couldn’t have carried any more pressure. For a nineteen-year-old to accept that responsibility and step up for his country is inspiring (I could barely take responsibility for myself at nineteen, let alone a nation’s dreams) and in no way will that one penalty define his tournament, let alone his career, for me, except in it cementing his incredible maturity, his courage and his spirit. Saka’s tournament included memorable appearances in the victory against Croatia, that meant England topped their group, and the Semi-Final against Denmark where his cross led to the own goal that pegged Denmark back. Saka was instrumental in England getting to the Final, and Rashford and Sancho too played their parts, and aged just 19, 23 and 21, these are three lion cubs with big hearts.
Player of the Tournament – I love to see players that catch the eye and do so consistently, and from the very first match, Leonardo Spinazzola was that player. It’s great that a so-called defensive player can steal the spotlight, when a lot of attention is always placed on the more naturally positioned forward players. Indeed, one of the highlights of this tournament was the full-backs in general – Maehle of Denmark, Gosens of Germany, and Kyle Walker and Luke Shaw of England, to name a few, but Spinazzola was on another level in terms of his attacking play in particular. He was a delight to watch, always playing as high up as possible, and it was such a cruel shame that he didn’t get to feature in the Final after picking up an injury, but his four performances before that were enough to make a significant impression. We’ve got used to full-backs bombing on in recent years, and the days of a full-back rarely venturing across the halfway line are long gone, but in this tournament Spinazzola showed attacking full-back play at its very best.
England – As someone who is usually entirely pragmatic and realistic about England’s fortunes when others are getting carried away, I found myself in the unusual position of actually feeling really calm and confident even before we’d kicked a ball this tournament, based on nothing but gut feeling alone. It was a decidedly refreshing – and stress-free – experience not to feel deflated when England weren’t firing on all cylinders, when they were held to a stalemate against Scotland and when they went behind against Denmark, and all the more so, because this team continued to deliver game after game. Ukraine aside, there was nothing seemingly mind-blowing in their football, but at the same time there was an assurance, a stability that perhaps hasn’t always been there, especially in the big moments. At not one point in their journey to the Final did I doubt this team and at not one point did they let me down. In the final, I knew, it was a tougher task, and in my heart of hearts I thought Italy would have too much experience and know-how in the circumstances, but this team allowed me to dare to dream in a way that no other England team in my lifetime has, and that is why I felt the disappointment of the result so much more keenly this time around – to the point of being a despicably sore loser and having to tun off the trophy celebration – but why I also felt not one ounce of disappointment in the players. In Phillips, Rice, Saka, et al, England have uncovered some gems for the future, whilst senior players like Walker, Maguire and Sterling stepped up. It’s hard to choose my standout England player as each of them genuinely contributed so much to the team, but whilst Maguire and Shaw made late charges, I’m going with Kalvin Phillips for having turned out at his first major tournament, featuring in every game and looking at home from the first group game through to the Final. But what made this England team great, and one I could find real confidence and pride in, was that it wasn’t about the individuals, this was a team that has played as a more united collective than any other England team I can remember. And that is why my disappointment is for them, not in them. Thanks for the journey, England.
Walker – For me, this has very much been a tournament for full/wing backs, with some of the most impressive performances coming from the likes of Denzel Dumfries, Robin Gosens and Joakim Maehle, to name a handful. But few can compete with Kyle Walker in terms of his recovery and pace. Whilst he hasn’t got forward as much as usual, his presence at the back has been reassuring. Even when not having the best of games, he can still be relied upon in high-pressure situations and one-on-one footraces with any player in the competition. And even after 120 minutes against Denmark, he still looked fresh as a daisy as he sprinted from one end of the pitch to the other to take the ball into the corner. Aged 31, he’d be forgiven for seeing a drop-off in his fitness, but he makes 31 look the new 21.
Maguire – In tournaments past, England have anxiously awaited the fitness of its attacking players – David Beckham in 2002, Wayne Rooney in 2006 – so it says a lot when the nation was holding its breath on the fitness of a centre-back prior to this Euros. Tyrone Mings deputised impressively in Maguire’s absence in the first two group games and his contribution shouldn’t be forgotten, but Maguire’s return against the Czech Republic proved the mettle of the man. Having not played competitively for weeks, it would be natural for a player to take a while to find his feet, especially in an international competition, but Maguire looked like he’d never been away, in fact, if anything, he looked like he was playing at a different level. He has been a behemoth at the back – and let’s not forget his goal against Ukraine up top – so whatever fitness regime he’s followed with the staff at St George’s Park needs rolling out on the NHS asap.
Chiellini – Chiellini or Bonucci? Bonucci or Chiellini? It’s like choosing between a pair of equally fine vintage wines, one slightly older and earthier, the other marginally more refined and supple. Whilst Bonucci is slightly more cultured in his passing, Chiellini is the man you’d want beside you when backs were against the wall. His passion for football, for winning, for the Italians is unbounded and, as has been regularly noted throughout this tournament, he just damn well loves defending, perhaps a little too enthusiastically, it might be said. But this is a man who would throw himself in front of every ball, head out every cross and lay down on the goal-line to prevent a goal. Indeed, he seems to view goals against his side like an affront, a matter of honour and integrity, but he also plays the mind games incredibly well too. A good old-fashioned throwback of a player, but someone you’d definitely rather have on your side than on the opposition.
Shaw – My earlier allusion to full-backs deliberately excluded two notable names – Leonardo Spinazzola and Luke Shaw. Spinazzola has arguably been the player of the tournament, consistently impressing as a right-footed left wingback with his attacking intent and energy – he’s not bad at defending either! For wont of a cruel injury, he would get the nod here, but that’s no criticism of Luke Shaw, as I’d pretty much have Spinazzola as the first name on my teamsheet. In fact, Spinazzola aside, Luke Shaw has been one of the best performers, particularly in the latter rounds of the tournament, growing into games and in belief. He has perhaps been the most complete of the full-backs, never neglecting his primary duty at the back, but also playing an integral part in England’s attack – indeed, he’s joint-second on the list of assists and the only defender in the top five, ahead of the likes of Memphis Depay, Kevin De Bruyne and Joshua Kimmich – you’d take that.
Phillips – One of England’s earliest revelations in this tournament, what a difference that extra year made. Indeed, twelve months ago, Phillips had just won promotion out of the Championship, but outside of Leeds was largely under the radar, and had yet to be picked for his country. That all changed in August 2020 when Phillips was first selected by Southgate and, as they say, the rest is history. It is almost impossible now to imagine an England team without Phillips – or to give him his rightful moniker, the Yorkshire Pirlo – who quickly settled into the side and announced himself on the world stage with his first performance in the Euros. Only Jordan Pickford and John Stones have played more than Phillips’ 545 minutes for England at the tournament and this for a midfielder who covers every blade of grass – in fact, he’s covered 67.3kms of grass – the further of any England player. If Walker is England’s sprint king, Phillips is their marathon man.
Rice – Midfield partnerships haven’t always been the easiest things to come by for England, but in Phillips and Rice, Southgate has hit on a formidable defensive duo. Both humble, hardworking and selfless, Phillips and Rice go together like Ant and Dec, like Baddiel and Skinner, like Bonucci and Chiellini. The rise of Declan Rice has been similarly impressive to his midfield buddy, first making his breakthrough for England in 2019 before a couple of particularly effective seasons at West Ham pushed him to the fore of Southgate’s plans. It is easy to forget that Rice is still only 22 and there is still plenty of time for him to push on even more, but he already has the heart and enthusiasm of a lion.
Barella – In truth, there is an embarrassment of midfield riches across both sides and one of a number of players could complete the set. Jorginho and Verratti offer composure and bite, Manuel Locatelli dynamism, Mason Mount intelligence and Jack Grealish craft. Grealish is arguably the most impressive of the lot, but his ability to genuinely change the game from the bench – which is something that not all players can do – has, to some extent, made him a victim of his own success in this limited role, and if this team could only have one sub, it would, without question be Grealish; if it could have twelve players by some quirk of the ref miscounting, that would also be Grealish, but, alas, I think VAR may spot that one. Barella’s ability to pop up with a goal and get in and around the box and recover the ball, however, makes him an effective option and he’s rightly been a mainstay in the Azzurri’s setup.
Sterling – Going into the tournament, there were questions over Sterling’s form at Manchester City, with 10 goals to his name last season, on the back of 20 the previous season, despite seven assists to his name, and another Premier League and League Cup title. Southgate, however, stuck by a player who has been a regular for him and has stood in as captain on occasions, and the manager has been duly rewarded, with Sterling netting the first three of England’s goals in this campaign, including the match-winners in both the Croatia and Czech Republic games, and playing a crucial part in England’s equaliser against Denmark and the penalty that would secure England’s first final in 55 years and first ever in the Euros. He has played some 521 minutes and covered the third-most distance for England in his six appearances and is being widely touted as the Player of the tournament.
Kane – Oh how Spain and Germany must wish for Harry Kane – and oh how grateful all England fans are that he’s English. Despite a slow start, there never should have been any doubts over the three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner and having been written off after a ‘goal drought’ of three games at this tournament, Kane is now only one goal behind front-runners Ronaldo and Schick in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot. And while his goals are crucial of course, this tournament has seen him play a real team role as a true captain does, going deeper to effect play and look to start attacks. When England were awarded their penalty in extra-time against Denmark, there is absolutely no other player you would have wanted stepping up then than the England captain, and even when the initial shot was saved, he was the first to react and to finish at the second time of asking. Kane proves the value of having a top-class striker in your side – just ask Spain.
Chiesa – Another position that is blessed with talent on both sides, including Lorenzo Insigne and Domenico Berardi for the Italians and Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden for The Three Lions. But while my heart screams Bukayo Saka, my head says Federico Chiesa to complete the line-up. At 19, Saka took to his first senior match at an international tournament just as convincingly as he has done all season for Arsenal and put in the performance of a seasoned pro. Four years his senior, Chiesa too has looked impressive in his first tournament for Italy. Despite not starting the first two games, Chiesa’s performances in his cameos, scoring the first in extra-time of the Round-of-16 game against Austria, has made him an integral part of Mancini’s thinking in the latter stages of the tournament and he hasn’t let his manager down, always looking to get into the box and take the shot on.
Manager: Southgate – Ultimately, the manager – and, to some extent, the players – will be judged only on what happens in the final, but really the job Southgate has done should not be limited to one game, however it goes. Of course, if (when?) England win, he will be heralded as a national hero, but he’s already made a very strong case for being considered as such right now. Indeed, the job of England manager has often been seen as the ultimate poison chalice in football and has taken some big scalps in the past, but Southgate has gone about his job both on and off the pitch in such a way that he has rewritten the script. Indeed, as much as he has helped to shape this England team on the pitch, his role in developing a new philosophy, building bridges with the media and fans and, crucially, leading from the front on important national and social issues is perhaps an even greater and more important achievement. He has united a nation, restored pride and instilled belief and he has done so with the utmost integrity, calmness and decency. Win or lose on Sunday, in Gareth, England should give thanks.
Football – it’s just a game right? Yes, essentially it is, but consider the positive impact it has had and could continue to have if England go on to beat Italy to become European Champions for the first time. The tournament as a whole will undoubtedly have boosted the economy as football fans have flocked to various venues (even with COVID restrictions), spending their cash on food and drink whilst watching games. Additionally, there is all the merchandise and associated spend, including shirts that have been purchased for the participating countries. And you can bet that if England were to win it, the current shirt would become iconic, and no doubt bring a wave of further sales as possible ‘limited edition’ variations would become produced by the savvy marketing team at Nike.
Spain: It was a case of so near, yet so far for a Spanish team, which, in all honesty, played their usual neat and tidy game in this tournament, but never looked completely convincing. Whilst their obvious issue was a lack of a clinical, decisive finisher, with Morata, Oyarzabal and Moreno all struggling to fill the berth, their World Cup victory in 2010 was predicated on the false 9, but La Roja came unstuck this time, despite impressive performances from 18-year-old Pedri and 23-year-old Dani Olmo, who will surely be integral to the Spanish side moving forward. Somewhat surprisingly, Spain are currently the highest goal-scorers at the tournament, with 13, to Denmark and Italy’s 12, and England’s 10, in large part to a five-goal demolition of Slovakia in the group stage and a 5-3 thriller against Croatia in the round of 16. So there is no doubt they can score goals and when everything clicks, they are still a hugely impressive and dangerous team, but, unfortunately, too many times in this tournament, it just didn’t click, including in their opening 0-0 clash with Sweden and a 1-1 draw with Poland in the next match. At times, they seemed to be crying out for something different, and with Adama Traore on their bench, a sum total of 13 minutes across six matches seemed bewildering. The Semi-Final against Italy looked to be the perfect set-up for a player who has tormented defenders in the Premier League against two centre-backs with a combined age of 70 and a majority of players who won’t have faced the tricky winger regularly, but Traore was brought off the subs bench to enter the affray only to return there without stepping foot on the pitch. Of course, one will never know whether he would have made a difference, but it all seemed a bit too safe and samey from Luis Enrique. With only three of the starting eleven for the match against Italy in their thirties, there is still time for this side to push on for next year’s World Cup.
Denmark: If the Danes had been playing anyone else but the Three Lions, I think it could be safely assumed that we’d all have liked to see them in the Final. Theirs has been the most challenging tournament imaginable, with the events of the very first match inevitably casting a shadow over all that followed. Other teams would have most likely crumbled, and it did seem in the conclusion of that first game against Finland as if the Danes would struggle to overcome what they had witnessed, losing 1-0 in a game in which the result was largely insignificant. Despite rallying against Belgium, an impressive Kevin de Bruyne display led to the Danes’ second defeat in two and threatened to end their tournament prematurely. Bottom of the group with no points heading into the final game against Russia, Denmark had it all to do, but if there is anything this team have proved from that first match is that they rally in adversity. And in that decisive match, Denmark didn’t just rally, they conquered, with an impressive 4-1 thrashing. Having progressed out of the group stage against all odds, Denmark looked galvanised in their matches against Wales and the Czech Republic, with 21-year-old Mikkel Damsgaard growing into the tournament, alongside Kasper Dolberg and Joakim Maehle. From the brink, people began asking whether Denmark could repeat their triumphs of 1992 and it was a team that itself was obviously growing in belief. They made the Semi-Final a tricky affair for England but eventually bowed out after 120 minutes with their heads held high. Their journey was much more about football, and in everything that they did, they made a nation and a footballing community hugely proud and gained themselves a legion of fans for the way responded not only in their darkest of moments but in all they achieved thereafter. Whilst the hope would have been to win the tournament for Eriksen, themselves and their country, in many ways Denmark won so much more, and in Simon Kjaer they have the standout captain of the Euros.
Italy: Whilst France, Belgium and Portugal all got the big build-up going into the tournament, Italy generally flew under the radar, until their first game against Turkey in which they clearly set out their stall with an emphatic 3-0 win. In truth, perhaps the Azzurri should have been on everyone’s radar, having come into the Euros with a hugely impressive winning streak and clean sheet run. Indeed, they continued to set records on both fronts in the group stage, with a second 3-0 triumph over Switzerland and 1-0 win, arguably with a second string XI, against Wales. Though Austria provided the first real test for Mancini’s men, it was clear that this Azzurri side were one with typical Italian grit and determination to go with the flair and skill. Many saw their Quarter-Final clash with Belgium as a potential banana skin, but they came through relatively untroubled, continuing to play an attractive and energetic style that perhaps has not always been characteristic of the Italians. Another difficult tie faced them in the Semi-Final against Spain, which was a much tighter affair, going all the way to penalties, but there is something about this group which gives them the edge. Indeed, it has felt throughout this tournament as if they have somehow been destined to make the Final and they have overcome every obstacle in their way through a combination of skill, talent, passion and tenacity. Their football has been amongst the most impressive on display, and as well as the team collective, there have been superb individual performances from the likes of Federico Chiesa and Manuel Locatelli, whilst Bonucci and Chiellini defy age in defence. However, Leonardo Spinazzola has arguably been the player of the entire tournament, putting in displays from left-back that are frankly mind-boggling. His injury against Belgium was a massive blow, not only for the Azzurri but for the tournament in general, but Italy’s strength in depth and squad quality has been another factor in their success. With an unbeaten run of 33 matches now – and a new record for the longest winning run in the Euros of 15 matches – Italy have set themselves as the ones to beat – but, as they say, all good things must come to an end.
England: Oh, where to begin? Well, there’s only one place, surely, their progress to a first Final in 55 years. For the older generation, 1966 lives long in the memory, but for those born after that triumph, the Three Lions story has been one of varying degrees of hope and inevitable disappointment. Whilst there was the usual excitement and anticipation pre-tournament, few, I think, who would really have believed in England’s chances (I was one of the few), but three points in the opening game soon galvanised a nation, which had been kept out of football stadiums for some eighteen months. Of course, though, this wouldn’t be England without an anti-climax and that came in the next game against Scotland. A win against the Czech Republic secured England’s progress out of the group stage and a top-of-the-table finish and whilst hopes were high, a clash against Germany in the Round of 16 was viewed by many as the real test. A test that England came through with aplomb, but even better was to come three days later in Rome. England, away from Wembley for the first time, without their legion of fans and having had the extra hassle of travel, would be forgiven for being a bit sloppy, but no, this was the performance a nation needed to cement belief that this may just be England’s time. Ukraine may not have been the biggest scalp, but they still stood in England’s way, although not for very long, it has to be said, with Harry Kane’s fourth minute goal practically sealing the deal there and then. As Jurgen Klinsmann reflected, it had all been too perfect for England. Plain sailing is not something English football fans are familiar with, and this was the closest thing to plain sailing in recent history. We all knew it couldn’t last, but it was a question of how England would react to going behind, to adversity, to pressure, that would determine whether this team were just a carbon copy of those gone by or, indeed, the real thing. And Denmark posed that very question of the Three Lions, scoring first in their Semi-Final clash, with England conceding their first goal in over 600 minutes. With backs against the walls, an expectant home crowd and the ghost of 55 years, this would be the test of this team, and where England teams of tournaments past would have wilted, Kane and his band of brothers showed the resilience, determination and drive perhaps lacking in previous teams to cross that hallowed line into the Final. Italy will be yet a tougher test, but this victory – against a spirited Denmark side, coming from behind and with England far from their best – will surely add to the growing confidence and belief. Once again for me, despite the embarrassment of riches up front, it was the defence, so questioned pre-tournament, that were key. Pickford, who so impressed against Germany, had a nervier time of it last night, but hopefully he’s got that out of his system, while the four players in front of him – or make that six with Rice and Phillips’ dogged performances – rose to the occasion: Stones was largely unruffled, Maguire was imperious, Shaw tenacious and Walker just superhuman. Whilst there was controversy over the eventual penalty that separated the two teams, whether or not it was or wasn’t a penalty – and the same could be said of the Kane incident earlier in the match – England have been on the end of a fair few contentious decisions of their own and everyone knows you need some luck to win tournaments. There is more to this team than luck though, and Southgate’s men are doing a nation proud. With the Final at Wembley on Sunday, the trophy is in England waiting to be lifted – did someone say it’s coming home?