Andrea Pirlo

Pirlo was a member of the Italian Squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. This World Cup tournament was not Pirlo's first but the midfielder rose to the occasion, starting every game and helping his team with a very consistent overall performance.Pirlo played brilliantly throughout the semifinal against Germany, and he ultimately fashioned a key play at the very end of extra time to give Italy a dramatic victory. At the 119th minute, Pirlo received a ball deflected just outside the German penalty area and kept possession for just enough time to provide a defence splitting assist to Fabio Grosso, who scored the opening goal. Moments later, Alessandro Del Piero scored again, Italy won 2-0, and Pirlo was named Man of the Match once again.Pirlo's sparkling form was again in evidence against France in the 2006 World Cup Final on July 9. His passing proved vital for the Azzurri, and his corner kick produced Marco Materazzi's equalizing header ten minutes after France had opened the score. The match went to a penalty shoot-out, and Pirlo set a positive tone for his teammates by confidently scoring the first penalty kick. His performance during the match resulted in his being named the FIFA Man of the Match for a third time, more than any other player over the course of the tournament.