Italian Soccer Squad Named Academy Men's Team of the Year
Italy’s 2006 World Cup champion soccer team has been named the Men’s Team of the Year award by the United States Sports Academy.
Italy beat France 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out to win the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Italy won its fourth World Cup title, following victories in 1934, 1938 and 1982. Brazil is the only country to have won more than five times.
This was only the second World Cup final to be decided by a penalty shoot out.
Italy won its first-round group over the higher-ranked United States and Czech Republic, and Ghana. Then it beat Australia on a controversial penalty in the second-half extra time that Francesco Totti converted.
In the next round, Italy routed Ukraine 3-0 before defeating Germany with two stunning goals in the final minutes of extra time for the semifinal win.
Since 1984, the Academy has recognized outstanding achievements in sports through the Academy’s Awards of Sport, which pays “Tribute to the Artist and Athlete.” Past recipients of the Men’s Team of the Year award include the 2005 Boston Red Sox, the 2003 Yugoslavian Men’s Basketball Team and the 1997 Florida Marlins. For a complete list, please visit www.asama.org.
