Italy won their opening game against Ghana 2-0, with goals coming from Andrea Pirlo and Vincenzo Iaquinta. The team performance was judged the best among the opening games by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The second match was a much less convincing 1-1 draw with USA, with the opening goal by Alberto Gilardino equalized by a Cristian Zaccardo own goal. After the equalizing goal, three players, including Daniele De Rossi, were sent off, leaving only nineteen men on the field for nearly the entire the second half, but the score remained the same. De Rossi was suspended for four matches for elbowing American player Brian McBride and could only return for the final or the third place match.

Italy finished on top of Group E with a neat 2-0 win against the Czech Republic, with goals from Marco Materazzi and Filippo Inzagh, advancing to the Round of 16 in the knockout stages, where Australia was beaten 1-0. Materazzi was controversially sent off early in the second half, but the Azzurri won the match with a controversial penalty kick converted in the 95th minute by Totti.

The quarter-final match was a 3-0 victory against Ukraine, with Gianluca Zambrotta opening the scoringand Luca Toni scoring twice. Manager Marcello Lippi dedicated the victory to former Italian international Gianluca Pessotto, who was recovering from an alleged suicide attempt.

In the semi-final, Italy beat hosts Germany 2-0, with the two goals coming in the last two minutes of extra-time. Fabio Grosso scored the first goal in the 119th minute, after a disguised Pirlo found him open in the penalty area, and Del Piero sealed the victory, completing a counter-attack with a chip moments later.

The Azzurri won their fourth World Cup, defeating France in Berlin, on July 9, 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time. French captain Zinedine Zidane opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a tricky penalty spot kick, controversially awarded for a foul by Materazzi. Twelve minutes later, a header by Materazzi himself scored the equalizer. At 110', Zidane was sent off after a head butt, provoked by an insult directed at him by Materazzi. Italy then won the penalty shoot-out 5-3, after David Trezeguet's attempt hit the crossbar and Grosso converted the final penalty.