Last night I watched the Italy-Germany 2006 semi final in full basically for the first time given I was only 7 when the game took place.

Don’t think a football match could be more perfect, it had everything.

Some things that stood out to me

Of course everyone knows about the Italian and German rivalry but the hostility we received in Dortmund was unreal. Listen to the crowd when Italy gains possession for the first time inside a minute...

Gattuso demanding a hand from Klose who seemingly bitched into giving it. Not even looking him in the eye to do so.

Italy played the ball out for an injured Cannavaro. The Germans don’t give it back. War declared.

Camorenese confirms that respect has been thrown out the window.

Bloodbath.

Imagine had Grosso not been able to continue here...

By the way, I don’t think he put a single foot wrong this whole match.

Extra time.

The build up leading to THE corner is criminally underrated. Gattuso balls of steel to juggle the ball like that in midfield. Had he lost it we were so outnumbered... the long passes to an eventual Pirlo trademark screamer... and then-

Bliss.

The most perfect counter attack of all time. Cannavaro leaving his line to win the ball like that and kickstart the counter is the perfect cherry on top to one of the best defensive performances ever.

German tears. On to the final. What a game.