It has been 20 years to the day since Italy lifted the World Cup trophy at Olympiastadion in Berlin, the most recent knock-out game that the Azzurri have won on the world stage, and we want to know, are there any current players that would make it into the squad that triumphed in Germany two decades ago?
Italy is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 2006 World Cup final on Thursday, played on July 9.
It was a star-studded side 20 years ago, one that kept the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, Pippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Nesta on the substitutes bench in the final; Francesco Totti, Luca Toni and a Fabio Cannavaro-Marco Materazzi centre-back pairing preferred by Marcello Lippi.
BERLIN – JULY 09: The Italian players celebrate as Fabio Cannavaro lifts the World Cup trophy aloft following victory in a penalty shootout at the end of the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final match between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Comparing the Italy side that started the 2006 final to the Italy team that lined up in its most recent competitive match, the infamous World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in March of 2026, it is difficult to argue that any current player would make it into the side became world champions 20 years ago.