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As much as I respect Germany (where I live)and its team, I have to say that the stereotyping of the Italians by some people has made me angry. I want to see a great match (difficult because of the natural tension with such stakes)and Italy win. But only if they demonstrate their true winning character. My forecast: 2-1 Italy.

Gattuso is a legend, a seriously underrated player - would be the closest Man Utd could get to a Keane replacement, a real winner. Along with Shevchenko he made a distinctly ordinary Milan team into a force in Europe. As for Buffon - wonderful 'keeper, best in the world. But the comment from "nice?" brings up a good point. From what I understand he's a Mussolini fan, and if the stories are true (that he requested shirt number 88 - standing for heil Hitler - at Juve, and wears t-shirts in training that display infamous Mussolini quotes) then I think "gentleman" may be a little wide of the mark. (I hope these stories are untrue by the way). Either way, I tipped Italy at the start of the tournament and I stand by it. Cannavaro has been immense, and they won't concede again in the tournament. And sweet revenge on France in the final, for being robbed in the Euro 2000 final. Forza Italia!

Gattuso, Cannavaro and Buffon have been three of the leading lights in the World Cup Finals.

With Ronaldinho et al failing to fire, so are even starting to call this Gattuso's World Cup!

Buffon did indeed choose 88 (standing for HH, heil hitler), and it seems a trend to have right wing views and be a fooballer (Di Canio at least anyway).

In a way you can understand that this could be misplaced patriotism -Mussolini did great things (not necessarily nice, but great) for Italy.

I would love to see all three of them at Man Utd, and would be shocked if the FIFA panel didn't have them in the World XI (though that said it wouldn't overly surprise me if they put Beckham, in despite his poor performances!

Buffon is the man once seen in a T-shirt with the fascist slogan, 'Death to those who surrender', chose the talismanic fascist number 88 for his shirt one season, and agreed with Umberto Bossi, leader of Italy's far-right Northern League, who said: 'I hope Italy win the World Cup (2002), because then fewer foreigners will arrive here.

Yes, he sounds like a really nice bloke......

The likes of Buffon sum up all that is rotten in Italian football - fascism, corruption and silly hairstyles. They have made their way to this stage by elbowing opponents (de Rossi vs USA), winning suspect last-minute penalties (Grosso vs Australia) and benefiting from very suspect offside decisions (Toni vs Ukraine).

In fact the hairstyle is the only thing that annoys me about Torsten Frings - he looks too much like one of those Italian primadonnas. When we reach the final he should cut it.

I'll still like pasta, pizza and Italian wine though - so it's not the country I have a problem with. It's just their footballers.

Italy should be fancied big time. The only goal thay have conceeded was an own goal when the ball was going safe. The 3 top performers in the tournament, for me, have all been Italians.Cannavaro, Gattuso and Zambrotta have put in great reliable performances and kept Buffon a spectator for most of the time.

I would appreciate if some one informs me about present state of
Paulo Maldini !
Thanks

Hmm, Germany to win 2-1 aet. Don't see the Italian defence being strong enough to withstand the battering they'll get from Klinsmanns all out tactics. THe Italians won't scare them, these are the young players with grit, and besides which, I can't stand the Italian teams! I'm English, support Spain, but want Germany to win.....oh well, 1 out of the 3 has to be good for something!!

Maldini retired from International football so he was not available to play for the world cup.

Panucci, who was available on the other hand, wasn't called up and I think that he is so more reliable than Materazzi.

The only way Germans can win is if a Italian player gets a silly red card (I do not trust the mexican referee)or through a penalty/ies.

THIS SEMI-FINAL IS SERIOUSLY HARD TO CALL.ZIDANE ASIDE,I THINK THE TWO BEST PLAYERS IN THIS WORLD CUP SO FAR ARE PLAYING IN THIS GAME.(BALLACK AND CANNAVARO)BOTH HAVE BEEN IMMENSE IN ALMOST ALL FACETS OF THE GAME.
FOR WHAT ITS WORTH I WILL BE SHOUTING FOR GERMANY AS MY SON IS HALF GERMAN

Germany to win, Italy have shown little in the way of sportsmanship and it is, after all, Germany's tournament and I hope they go all the way. I hope Totti gets a bit naked.

I tend to support Italy, so I'm biased towards them anyway, but for me they've been as good as anyone so far without getting too much praise. All the semi-finalists seem about equal and I doubt any of them were expecting to win the tournament.

The Italians must keep their cool, but apart from that they should be OK. Germany have been attractive but are nothing special apart from Ballack and Klose. Camoranesi is a bit of a miss but this might not have been his type of game anyway. Hopefully Totti has been watching Zidane and realizing that this tournament could be his legacy too.

i hope italy win 2-1 because they really deserve it even if they havent shown their best go ITALY u can do it

Italy havn't been at their best, but if they produce they will win. Barzagli prob picked ahead of Materazi, played well against Ukraine.
Schneider and schweinsteiger dont like getting back, so space for Zambrotta - awesome in the games he's played. But, Pirlo is the main man, pulls the strings from midfield, and with Ballack pushing forward, he could cause them problems with his great passing game.
No frings to mark Totti, so good service 2 strikers, and gattuso may win the game 4 italy by keeping ballack quite. ITALY WIN 2-0

The German attack will founder on the rock that is Cannavaro. Gattuso is better than Ballack. Zambrotta is in peak form. All (but one) of Italy's fowards have scored.

The match will finish 2-0 to Italy.

FORZA ITALIA!

as italian and english i must say italy are better, they may not play the most attractive football in this tournament but they are here and thats that, all the talk about the scandels and hairstyles dont matter, its now down to what happends on the pitch, buffon and the rest of the defence are unstoppable and gattuso and pirlo have played well, even totti is playing better, by scoring the penalty and then setting up 2 goals against ukraine , keep it up
FORZA AAZZURRI

unlucky england

btw yay we finally got rid of beckham and sven, new era is coming .. . .

There is a hell of a lot of stereo typical views about the Italian team I have just read (above). What a load of rubbish! I'm starting to wonder if any of you lot actually watch any football! Italy are by far the best team in the world. They are one of thee most sporting in the world. Serie A is the greatest league in the world (alleged match-fixing aside). Germany will be a tall ask, but I would see Italy through 1-0 winners.

Zambrotta has always been my favourite player, and it is great to see him recovered from injury and playing well.

Italy have always had a hard time in recent tournaments. Late French goals cost them Euro 2000 (Delvechio putting them 1-0 up until the 90th minute).
WC 2002 saw them lose to a S Korean team, with a suspiciously Asian looking referee disallowing what, 3 legal Italian games! The same referee found his bank balance quite a lot healthier the next day I recall.
Euro 2004 saw Italy go out in the group stages without losing after Sweden and Denmark managed the required "high-scoring draw" in the last game, doing each other a favour to put each other through. Scandanavian policy, "help the other scandanavian country"! etc.
I expect something similar to happen this World Cup to be honest!

Italy should have one every Euro/World Cup since 1998, they always have the best team, the best players, the best set-up. I just think that FIFA don't like them.

Forza Italia!

British, living in the US, sons American, wife Italian, father German. Ho hum!

Great game and I cannot argue with the result. The Italians looked really good and most unlike the teams of the past.

Should be a great final.

Italy to win, as I suspect that the French will fade from their emotional high.

Looking forward to Sunday

What now to all the fools who continually use the same unfounded mantra against Italy. They have been without doubt as impressive as any other team throughout the tournament and are getting better with each game. They were superb tonight against Germany, their skill levels were a joy to behold. Maybe people are just lealous that they have won the the world cup 3 times and have now reached 6 finals along with many semi finals. THEY HAVE SCORED 11 GOALS IN THE TOURNAMNET, hardly evidence of a boring side.In fact the quarter finals produced just 6 goals in total...Italy scored 3 of them!!!!
Why is it people keep having a go at the Italian players appearance? What is wrong with caring about ones appearance and wanting to look good. Its clearly jealousy again cause yet again the Italians are the best turned out players, with the best kit and most impressive visually group of players. PERIOD. Is there anything wrong with wanting and having some style? Or would you prefer to look like the English players for example who are hardly pleasing on the eye and even less appealing on the pitch.
The facts speak for themselves so give the Italians credit for their success. No team achieves what the Italians have done in world cups over the years by being lucky and "dirty" yet this is always thrown at them by the jealous ones. So what about England and Rooney's action, hardly nice to look at but was not his behavour dirty? Oh I forgot it seems the Italian success denyers would look at Rooney as a nice good looking well behved boy instead of the thug he is.
There is nothing wrong witrh caring about your appearance, being good at football and being attractive. After all they couldnt help being born good looking.
Case proven

Italy suck. They were dead lucky to scrape past the group stages. So were FrAnCe. England were the best team but were robbed as usual by a corrupt ref:- what foul exactly did Rooney commit please? France are cool but will capitulate. The arch-cheaters Portugal will prosper against them. They will then beat the conniving Italians at their own traditional game. As for the person who said 'Italian football is very honest-match fixing aside', does he not realise the great irony of his words? Dearie me! That must mean Chelsea are an amateur football team-$300 million dollars worth of footballers aside.

you got it right about chelsea, they are an amatuer side!,
If England were the best team at the world cup, then I expect to see pink elephants flying backwards singing pop goes the weasel fly by my window, if any teamed sucked, it was definately the Poms! England.., you guys can't play, give it away, even though Rooney is a cheating thug, at least he had some fighting spirit, not like the rest of the pussy england squad, you guys can't even get an english coach, you are so sad that you have to get coaches from other nations, piss poor if you ask me!,
you can't play union, you suck at cricket, and your formula one drivers drive like grandmas.

Boo Hoo, Beckham, no million dollar cheque this time, plus my hair, it looks messy...boo hoo

As it is always with the World Cup or the Euro Cup, trying to define which Country has fielded the best team, or for that matter which side truly deserves to advance onto the next stage can be argued until you are blue in the face. Be it the quarters, semis or even just getting past the group stages takes loads of bottle not to mention skill, so I say hats off to the Italians. This team has grinded out results against very difficult opponents just as other sides have done too! You do need that bit of luck too, and so far they have gotten it.

Who is more deserving of a place in the final?

It is clear now.
Forza Italia!

after 16 years I hae seen a good italy, even though so far italy have not played great games, tonight they showed what they can do. with Buffon making important saves, Cannavaro, (so far the best player in the world cup for me) holding on a defense which has not been beaten but by an own goal, Zambrotta like Ashley Cole going up and down on the wings, Tottiplaying well and just came back injury and a coach that on a 0-0 doeas not think about defending and play on counters it's absolutely great for me. In the last 10 minutes tonight we have played with Gilardino,Iaquinta, totti, Del Piero, Zambrotta e Pirlo coming forward. this has been the most offensive Italy I remember in a world cup final. Forza Italia. a 28 yo italian guy

"Italy suck. They were dead lucky to scrape past the group stages."

Yes, we didn't get a chance to prove our worth against such football titans as Angola, Iran, or Trinidad and Tobago... so we had to settle for winning the Group of Death. What teams were in England's group again ?

Not sure if anyone was watching the same game as me, however the Germans were denied a clear penalty.

Remember the foul on Podolski when he went up for the header??? Clearly 2 yards inside the box. What does the ref do - give a free kick outside the box.

Germany were robbed. Italy through because of a dodgey decision - Again!!!

"not sure if anyone was watching the same game as me, however the Germans were denied a clear penlty"

Dany are you really as stupid as what you sound like? Number one it was never a foul as proved by countless replays on tv, is this clear cut evidence not enough for you? You fool!!!!!!
It was I agree a strange decision by the ref but these decisions can be seen in any football game so they are hardly rare . Go on be brave ..bite your tongue and admit to you yourself..Italy are really a very good team indeed just like Engerland are pretty average. Or have you got selective eyesight?
So what you are suggesting is that Italy have won the world cup 3 times, made the final 6 times, made the semis numerous times all by having "dodgey decisions" and by being lucky. So they were lucky in the last world cup when dreadful decisions by the ref saw them go out against S Korea? So they were lucky when they have lost countless penalty shoot outs in including one in the final to Brazil? You really need to open your eyes. I suppose in your blinkered eyes England and the rest of the under achievers have always been unlucky rather than not good enough.
Grow up and think before you type. Italy were magnificent tonight and as you see on this blog and all other forums 99% of people agree and have given credit were credit is due. You do not have a world cup record like Italy by being lucky and having "dodgey decisions".

You are talking about the faul that the referee whistled.. inside the area and then he gave Germany a faoul outside the area. Following the line that the referee picked at the entire game.. that faoul was clearly a mistake. That wasn't a faoul... there was nothing wrong with cannavaro clearing the ball, I did not understand what the heck he whistled about in first place.. then I understood that even he understood that he made a mistake and decided to give a faoul outside the area :-)

Italy played much better, the score could be 4-0 in extra time :-)

Italy playing with 4 forwards in Extra Time:

'Nuff said..!!!!

Just whining as usual. Remember Dante ?

And I: "O Master, what so grievous is
To these, that maketh them lament so sore?"
He answered: "I will tell thee very briefly.

These have no longer any hope of death;
And this blind life of theirs is so debased,
They envious are of every other fate.

No fame of them the world permits to be;
Misericord and Justice both disdain them.
Let us not speak of them, but look, and pass."

Besides. What happened to "haha, get over it, don't you know that ref mistakes compensate each other anyway ?". Because I surely heard a lot of that crap in 2004, when the likes of Graham Poll and Byron Moreno were robbing Italy blind on every single match.

So, where are all the sycophants gone now ? Based on their self-righteousness and holier-than-thou attitude I fully expected them to stand up at the first alleged "bad decision" and said "See ? Told you so!". Instead guess what ? they have reverted to the usual whining, hating and bad losing. Big surprise this :)

Italy playing with 4 forwards in Extra Time:

'Nuff said..!!!!

Italy are not the only one's having a bit of luck with the ref. They've had bad luck as well, and those things always comes back. Maybe not this year, but possibly during the next world cup.

Germany has had their bit of luck as well. I'm not saying Sweden would have gone through if Lucic wouldn't have got that incredibly silly red card in the last 16, but it made things easier for Germany.

A team that goes to the final of a World Cup does not do that because of luck. You do that because you're a very good team.

You'll have to be that lucky cousin of Donald Duck to be able to go through to the final on just pure luck...

The majority of the German people are dumb. We have silenced a country. I'm very happy.

ITALIANS DO IT BETTER

SCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC....
SILENCE

Pure luck + skill + desire + brilliance... stop me I could on forever!!!!!!!

Nuff said! Indeed, Italy did play much better, and on the night that is all that matters!

Bring on the Finale!

Gattuso is well hard, the hardest man ever, and is the hardest footballer in the world. A must at united!!