World Cup's 101 Most Memorable Moments: Fabio Grosso bends it vs. Germany

By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer

Editor's note: Each day between now and the kickoff of the first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 20, we'll unveil a different memory from World Cup history. The countdown from 101 continues with Fabio Grosso's curler vs. Germany in 2006.

The tension in Dortmund was excruciating. Following a scoreless 90 minutes, Italy and host Germany were deep into extra time of their 2006 semifinal.

The 65,000 mostly German supporters packed into the Westfalenstadion and just about everyone else in the soccer crazy country of 83 million were desperate to see Die Mannschaft reach the World Cup's decisive match on home soil. The Azzurri, naturally, were determined to stop them.

Just seconds away from a penalty shootout, they did. Andrea Pirlo fed a no-look pass against the grain to unmarked defender Fabio Grosso, who hit a perfect, curling, first-time shot around the outstretched arm of keeper Jens Lehmann. The goal sucked the air out of the building. With Germans fans still stunned, and the players pushed all the way up the pitch in search of an unlikely last-gasp equalizer, Alessandro Del Piero finished off a counterattack a minute later to seal Italy's 2-0 victory.

The Azzurri went on to beat France in the final and capture their fourth World Cup — with Grosso converting the winning spot kick.

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One of the leading soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.