Fabio Cannavaro has returned to the memory that, in his view, remains the absolute peak of his career: Italy’s triumph at the 2006 World Cup. In an interview with Corriere, the former Azzurri captain spoke about the final against France, the weight of the penalty shootout, Lippi’s influence and the crisis that, according to his version, has left Italy out of the last three World Cups.
“A World Cup is not won by chance”
Cannavaro rejects the idea that the Calciopoli scandal gave Italy a decisive push toward the title. In his view, that team was strong enough to win the trophy without the need for outside explanations.
He describes the 2006 squad as one of the best generations in Italian football after the 1982 side, insisting that the success was not the product of circumstances, but of the team’s quality and conviction.
Lippi’s role and the turning point of the tournament
In the former defender’s account, Marcello Lippi emerges as the figure who changed the atmosphere around the national team after the failure at Euro 2004. Cannavaro says the coach gave the players the belief that they could win the tournament and built a more stable group.
He also focuses on the tactical balance of that Italy side, mentioning changes in defense, Nesta’s injury and Materazzi’s introduction as part of the formula that, in his opinion, gave the team decisive solidity.
One of the matches he considers a turning point was the draw against the United States, when Italy played with 10 men. According to Cannavaro, that was when the team understood it would not fall apart under pressure.
The final against France and the weight of penalties
Cannavaro admits that against France, Italy took the field with great respect for the opposition. In his view, it was a final that could only be won with a big performance and composure in the key moments.
On the most debated incidents of that night, he takes a direct stance: on France’s penalty, he says that in his judgment he would have reached the ball himself even without Materazzi’s challenge, while on Zinedine Zidane’s dismissal he limits himself to the idea that the French player made a mistake.
According to him, fatigue after the semifinal against Germany pushed Italy toward penalties. He says Lippi already had the list of takers prepared and that Grosso’s decisive finish was almost part of that team’s script.
From the summit of 2006 to Italy’s crisis today
The former Ballon d’Or winner describes lifting the World Cup as the greatest joy of his life, greater than any club trophy or individual title. In his account, he also links that moment to his family’s sacrifices.
Cannavaro also reflects on the decline of Italian football, arguing that the problem is not limited to one season or one coach. In his view, Italy missed the chance to invest seriously in modern stadiums, youth development and infrastructure, falling behind in the modernization of clubs and sporting culture.
His prediction for this year’s World Cup
At the end of the interview, Cannavaro also offers a prediction that has not gone unnoticed: in his opinion, France will win this year.
The statement comes from one of the biggest figures in Italy’s history and carries weight precisely because it comes at a time when the Italian national team continues to face a prolonged crisis of identity and results.
Twenty years after Berlin, Cannavaro still sees 2006 as the highest point of his sporting life. But at the same time, his account is also a reminder that past glory cannot hide the long decline of Italian football.
Beyond the nostalgia, the interview delivers two clear messages: Italy at that time, according to one of its protagonists, was built on real strength and not on circumstances; while today, from that same perspective, France look like the team most likely to lift the trophy.