Flashback to Italy beating France in the World Cup final of 2006

When Fabio Cannavaro hoisted the World Cup trophy into the air at the Olympiastadion in July 2006, it was supposed to signal the beginning of a new era for Italian football.
The Azzurri had defeated a star-studded France team - including Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry - on penalties in a remarkable final in Berlin, Germany, to become only the second nation to win the World Cup for a fourth time.
But almost two decades on, the triumph is a stark contrast to Italy’s current fortunes.
After failing to qualify for Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, Italy are on the brink of becoming the first former winners to miss out on three consecutive tournaments.
It must be mentioned they did beat England to win the Euros in the midst of that in 2020 but that has proved an outlier.
Italy must win two play-off games, starting with a home semi-final against Northern Ireland on Thursday and then beat either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina for a spot in Group B with co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar at this summer’s World Cup. To describe Italy’s qualifying campaign as anything other than eventful would be quite the understatement.
The campaign was only one match old when Luciano Spalletti was dismissed from his position as manager after a 3-0 defeat by Norway in June. Although the 66-year-old remained in charge for a further three days - overseeing a win against Moldova - his departure was an early indicator of the challenges the four-time World champions would encounter.
The appointment of former Italy and AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso as his successor was a surprise, left-field choice. Italian football writer Emmet Gates believes the former AC Milan, Napoli and Fiorentina manager was only appointed because “no one else wanted the job”.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Gates said: “Nothing in his managerial career has shown that he’s an elite-level tactician.
“He won the Coppa Italia in his spell at Napoli but compared to his predecessor, he’s oceans apart.” 
(BBC sport)