What's with Italy never able to win a game clean and clear? Why can a country boasting some of the best players in the world and one of the best football leagues play so dispiritedly, contrive penalties, knock off opponents by crook - either by injury or by provocation as happened to Zinedine Zidane today?

And one of the game's greatest players leave the stage in disgrace, of course at the hands of the Italians, from what may turn out to be extreme provocation by Materazzi of Italy. Never have I seen the demons wreak a havoc on a coolheaded player like Zidane was until this moment of absolute madness by the maverick player and scorer of a penalty kick by a chipping of the ball in the seventh minute of the game.

With the exception of their watertight defensive play I don't like the Italian frustrating games of the past 12 years or so. Their games have not been Joga Bonito to say the least.

A reluctant congratulations to the victors of the FIFA World Cup™, Germany 2006!