Who will win the world cup?

[Paulo]

I guess I'm the only one here supporting Figo & Co...

It'll be nice to see two of the great giants of football tomorrow, but I hope Figo will beat Zidane (it's a great feeling not to be the favourite!); I'll be at the Munchen Arena sceaming almost as much as I would for Paul! This time it'll be:
PAUL-TU-GOAL!!!
PAUL-TU-GOAL!!!

[james1985]

What a fantastic game tonight. Italy probably deserved their win, but great football from both sides.


Comiserations to Germany, they've been fantastic hosts and their attacking football has surprised and lit up the tournament.


Looking forward to watching Ballack in the Premiership next season

[Cologne girl]

Again, thank you, James (though I would have preferred thanking you for congrats instead of commiserations ) - this one is just not my lucky year. First the disappointment at what happened at the Grammy awards and now this - although I must say our team achieved a lot more than most people would have dared to hope before the World Cup. Hey, I mean, ours is among the four best teams, WOW Though it did hurt that we were knocked out by pure shrewdness and strategy - I personally would have preferred to get kicked out by Brazil or even England The "squadra azzurra" just had our team tire out, to then deliver the death stab during the extra time. I've had a good cry tonight, but we should say "thank you, Jürgen Klinsmann, you've done a good job" and look ahead rather than "back in anger". And now I'll be with Portugal - I hope they'll be luckier.

Oh yes, you English certainly know who to pick from the Bundesliga. Ballack, Lehmann... not bad. I wish you interesting matches in your premier league next season

[Lazarus_2]

buffon is the best goalie i've ever seen, so-aware of what's going on around him(unlike most goalies)...

Buffon = I name "best goal-keeper of fifa 2006"

[funkbeatle]

I think Portugal's brazilian coach Felipe Scolari has just a big luck(ma non troppo, just look back to European Cup won by Greece)though he's a great team motivator more than a strategist but IF Zidane is in a inspired day NO chances to Portugal. My intuition says Italy champion.

[Genuine_Indian_Guru]

Italy.....hello everyone!

[EddieV]

From what we saw yesterday, Italy looks very strong!!!

[Lazarus_2]

It's always those "authentic" penalty kicks that gives unfair advantage to one side.

I'm sorry for Portugal, they played just as well as France did.

[Paulo]

Lazarus, I got the same impression. It seems that some penaltys are more authentic than others... and it seems that the games are played in and out of the arenas...

I don't like talking about referees, but just look at all the campaign that was moved against Portugal since the match with Holland... Portuguese ambassador in France had to even make a statement protesting against some French press before the game... I didn´t know they could be as rude as the british tabloids... And a site was created by british supporters just to avoid Cristiano Ronaldo being voted the best young player in the world cup, I think it's called Ihateronaldo... Can we be more ridiculous than that?

But that's the way it goes, man...

[Cologne girl]

Yeah, this campaign against Cristiano Ronaldo is the limit. On German telly, they told us about a dartboard with Ronaldo's face appearing in "some British tabloid" (they didn't tell us which, but I can imagine). I think they also said something about Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney playing in the same team and that Wayne Rooney would do something nasty to him. Sorry, James (if you read this), but I don't know why so many people are so fond of that guy in England and were outraged when Eriksson did not allow him to play from the beginning. I only saw his face when he "had to leave" and I thought, if that man was not a football player, he would surely be a hooligan. He may be a good player (haven't seen enough of him to judge that) but Heaven help me if I ever get stuck in the elevator with him. I don't know how they can even mention him in one breath with David Beckham.