The knockout stage was the second and final stage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, following the group stage. The top two teams from each group (16 in total) advance to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination style tournament. A match was played between the two losing teams of the semi-finals to determine which team finished in third place.
All times local (CEST/UTC+2)
Qualified teams The top two placed teams from each of the eight groups qualified for the knockout stage.
Group Winners Runners-up A B C D E F G H
Bracket
Round of 16
Germany vs Sweden Germany progressed thanks to two goals from Lukas Podolski inside the opening 12 minutes. His first was in the fourth minute; German captain Michael Ballack sent a pass to Miroslav Klose, who was tackled by goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson, only for an onrushing Podolski to turn the ball in. Eight minutes later, a pass from Klose found Podolski, who scored his second goal. On 35 minutes, Teddy Lučić received a second yellow card for a foul on Klose. In the 52nd minute, Henrik Larsson won a penalty for Sweden when he was challenged by Christoph Metzelder, only for Larsson himself to shoot the ball over the crossbar. Germany held out for a 2–0 win.
GK 1 Jens LehmannRB 3 Arne FriedrichCB 17Per MertesackerCB 21Christoph MetzelderLB 16Philipp LahmRM 19Bernd SchneiderCM 8 Torsten Frings CM 13Michael Ballack (c)LM 7 Bastian Schweinsteiger CF 11Miroslav KloseCF 20Lukas Podolski Substitutions:MF 18Tim Borowski FW 10Oliver Neuville MF 5 Sebastian Kehl Manager:Jürgen Klinsmann GK 1 Andreas IsakssonRB 7 Niclas AlexanderssonCB 3 Olof Mellberg (c)CB 4 Teddy Lučić LB 5 Erik EdmanDM 6 Tobias LinderothRM 18Mattias Jonson LM 9 Freddie LjungbergAM 16Kim Källström CF 10Zlatan Ibrahimović CF 11Henrik LarssonSubstitutions:DF 13Petter Hansson MF 21Christian Wilhelmsson FW 20Marcus Allbäck Manager:Lars Lagerbäck
Man of the Match: Miroslav Klose (Germany)
Assistant referees: Aristeu Tavares (Brazil) Edmílson Corona (Brazil) Fourth official: Shamsul Maidin (Singapore) Fifth official: Prachya Permpanich (Thailand)
Argentina vs Mexico
GK 1 Roberto AbbondanzieriRB 13Lionel ScaloniCB 2 Roberto AyalaCB 6 Gabriel Heinze LB 3 Juan Pablo Sorín (c) DM 8 Javier MascheranoRM 5 Esteban Cambiasso LM 18Maxi RodríguezAM 10Juan Román RiquelmeCF 7 Javier Saviola CF 9 Hernán Crespo Substitutions:FW 11Carlos Tevez MF 16Pablo Aimar FW 19Lionel Messi Manager:José Pékerman GK 1 Oswaldo SánchezCB 4 Rafael Márquez (c) CB 5 Ricardo OsorioCB 3 Carlos SalcidoRM 16Mario MéndezCM 15José Antonio Castro CM 8 Pável Pardo CM 11Ramón Morales LM 18Andrés Guardado CF 17Francisco Fonseca CF 9 Jared BorgettiSubstitutions:MF 6 Gerardo Torrado MF 14Gonzalo Pineda MF 7 Sinha Manager: Ricardo La Volpe
Man of the Match: Maxi Rodríguez (Argentina)
Assistant referees: Francesco Buragina (Switzerland) Matthias Arnet (Switzerland) Fourth official: Khalil Al Ghamdi (Saudi Arabia) Fifth official: Fathi Arabati (Jordan)
England vs Ecuador
GK 1 Paul Robinson RB 16Owen HargreavesCB 5 Rio FerdinandCB 6 John Terry LB 3 Ashley ColeDM 18Michael CarrickRM 7 David Beckham (c) CM 4 Steven Gerrard CM 8 Frank LampardLM 11Joe Cole CF 9 Wayne RooneySubstitutions:DF 15Jamie Carragher MF 19Aaron Lennon MF 20Stewart Downing Manager: Sven-Göran Eriksson GK 12Cristian MoraRB 4 Ulises de la Cruz CB 3 Iván Hurtado (c)CB 17Giovanny EspinozaLB 18Neicer ReascoRM 16Antonio Valencia CM 14Segundo CastilloCM 20Edwin Tenorio LM 8 Édison MéndezCF 21Carlos Tenorio CF 11Agustín DelgadoSubstitutions:MF 7 Christian Lara FW 10Iván Kaviedes Manager: Luis Fernando Suárez
Man of the Match: John Terry (England)
Assistant referees: Peter Hermans (Belgium) Walter Vromans (Belgium) Fourth official: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia) Fifth official: José Navia (Colombia)
Portugal vs Netherlands
Italy vs Australia This fixture was the first time the two teams had played each other, and also the first time Australia had participated in a knockout fixture at a World Cup.
Italy created early chances in the first half via Alberto Gilardino and Luca Toni, with Toni's powerful strike being parried away from the Australia goal by Mark Schwarzer's leg. Australia had their best chance via Scott Chipperfield, who shot directly at Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Early in the second half, Italy were reduced to 10 men when defender Marco Materazzi was given a straight red card for a two-footed tackle on Mark Bresciano. Australia dominated possession but failed to capitalise on having an extra man - Chipperfield had another shot at goal on a tight angle which was easily saved, while Tim Cahill almost scored via a header soon afterwards.
Deep into stoppage time, with the match still at 0–0 and seemingly headed for extra time, Fabio Grosso found space to cut into the Australia penalty box, beating Bresciano in the process. As he closed in on the Australia goal, skipper Lucas Neill went to ground in an attempt to tackle the ball away, and Grosso made contact with Neill's prostrate body and fell, earning a penalty kick.
Despite pleas from the Australian players, the penalty stood, and Francesco Totti struck the resultant penalty into the top left corner. Referee Luis Medina Cantalejo immediately blew full-time, ending the match 1–0, thereby eliminating Australia. The penalty was the first last minute deciding goal to be scored from the penalty spot in World Cup history, and with the victory, Italy remained unbeaten in their last 22 international fixtures–their longest undefeated sequence since 1939.
After the match, Italy coach Marcello Lippi agreed with the penalty decision, and acknowledged that Australia dominated possession and put his team under pressure when Materazzi was dismissed, but insisted that Australia looked unlikely to score. Australia coach Guus Hiddink stated the penalty decision was questionable and later decided to step down as Australia coach and take a new role with the Russian national side.
In October 2006, then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter apologised to Australian fans and said Australia should have reached the quarter-finals instead of eventual champions Italy.
In 2010, Grosso told Football+ Magazine that he "accentuated the challenge a little bit" when Neill slid in.
GK 1 Gianluigi BuffonRB 19Gianluca Zambrotta CB 5 Fabio Cannavaro (c)CB 23Marco Materazzi LB 3 Fabio Grosso RM 20Simone PerrottaCM 21Andrea PirloLM 8 Gennaro Gattuso AM 7 Alessandro Del Piero CF 11Alberto Gilardino CF 9 Luca Toni Substitutions:FW 15Vincenzo Iaquinta DF 6 Andrea Barzagli FW 10Francesco Totti Manager:Marcello Lippi GK 1 Mark SchwarzerCB 3 Craig MooreCB 2 Lucas NeillCB 14Scott ChipperfieldRM 5 Jason CulinaCM 13Vince Grella LM 20Luke Wilkshire RW 21Mile Sterjovski AM 4 Tim Cahill LW 23Mark BrescianoCF 9 Mark Viduka (c)Substitutions:FW 15John Aloisi Manager: Guus Hiddink
Man of the Match: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
Assistant referees: Víctoriano Giráldez Carrasco (Spain) Pedro Medina Hernández (Spain) Fourth official: Éric Poulat (France) Fifth official: Lionel Dagorne (France)
Switzerland vs Ukraine Despite their early elimination, Switzerland became the first team in the history of the FIFA World Cup to leave an edition of the tournament without conceding a single goal.
GK 1 Pascal ZuberbühlerRB 23Philipp DegenCB 2 Johan Djourou CB 20Patrick MüllerLB 3 Ludovic MagninDM 6 Johann Vogel (c)RM 16Tranquillo Barnetta LM 8 Raphaël WickyAM 7 Ricardo CabanasSS 22Hakan Yakin CF 9 Alexander Frei Substitutions:DF 13Stéphane Grichting FW 11Marco Streller FW 18Mauro Lustrinelli Manager:Köbi Kuhn GK 1 Oleksandr ShovkovskyiCB 9 Oleh HusyevCB 17Vladyslav VashchukCB 2 Andriy NesmachnyiCM 8 Oleh ShelayevCM 14Andriy HusinCM 4 Anatoliy TymoschukAM 16Andriy Vorobey AM 19Maksym Kalynychenko SS 10Andriy Voronin CF 7 Andriy Shevchenko (c)Substitutions:MF 21Ruslan Rotan FW 11Serhii Rebrov FW 15Artem Milevskyi Manager:Oleg Blokhin
Man of the Match: Oleksandr Shovkovskyi (Ukraine)
Assistant referees: José Ramírez (Mexico) Héctor Vergara (Canada) Fourth official: Jerome Damon (South Africa) Fifth official: Justice Yeboah (Ghana)
Brazil vs Ghana
GK 1 DidaRB 2 Cafu (c)CB 3 LúcioCB 4 Juan LB 6 Roberto CarlosCM 5 Emerson CM 11Zé RobertoAM 8 Kaká AM 10RonaldinhoCF 7 Adriano CF 9 RonaldoSubstitutions:MF 17Gilberto Silva MF 19Juninho MF 20Ricardinho FW 23RobinhoGK 22Júlio CésarManager:Carlos Alberto Parreira GK 22Richard KingsonRB 15John Paintsil CB 5 John MensahCB 7 Illiasu ShillaLB 6 Emmanuel PappoeRM 23Haminu DramaniCM 18Eric Addo CM 10Stephen Appiah (c) LM 11Sulley Muntari CF 3 Asamoah Gyan CF 14Matthew Amoah Substitutions:MF 9 Derek Boateng FW 12Alex Tachie-Mensah MF 8 Michael EssienManager: Ratomir Dujković
Man of the Match: Zé Roberto (Brazil)
Assistant referees: Roman Slyško (Slovakia) Martin Balko (Slovakia) Fourth official: Mark Shield (Australia) Fifth official: Nathan Gibson (Australia)
Spain vs France
GK 1 Iker Casillas RB 15Sergio RamosCB 22PabloCB 5 Carles Puyol LB 3 Mariano PerníaCM 18Cesc FàbregasCM 14Xabi AlonsoCM 8 Xavi AM 21David Villa AM 9 Fernando TorresCF 7 Raúl (c) Substitutions:FW 11Luis García MF 17Joaquín MF 16Marcos Senna Manager:Luis Aragonés GK 16Fabien BarthezRB 19Willy SagnolCB 15Lilian ThuramCB 5 William GallasLB 3 Eric AbidalCM 4 Patrick Vieira CM 6 Claude MakéléléRW 22Franck Ribéry AM 10Zinedine Zidane (c) LW 7 Florent Malouda CF 12Thierry Henry Substitutions:FW 9 Sidney Govou FW 11Sylvain Wiltord FW 20David TrezeguetManager:Raymond Domenech
Man of the Match: Patrick Vieira (France)
Assistant referees: Cristiano Copelli (Italy) Alessandro Stagnoli (Italy) Fourth official: Markus Merk (Germany) Fifth official: Christian Schräer (Germany)
Quarter-finals
Germany vs Argentina Argentina took the lead in the 49th minute with a header from Roberto Ayala after a corner from the right by Juan Román Riquelme, but the South Americans’ goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri was injured after the goal and his replacement Leo Franco was unable to stop Miroslav Klose from equalizing with a header from six yards out to the left with ten minutes left in regulation time. The match went to extra time. With no goals scored, the semi-final spot came down to penalties, during which German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was seen looking at a piece of paper kept in his sock before each Argentinian player would come forward for a penalty kick. Lehmann had researched the penalty taking habits of seven players on the Argentinian team. However, only two players on his list ended up taking a penalty that day. On the attempts by those two players, Lehmann saved one and came close to saving the other. He then had to guess on Esteban Cambiasso's kick since he did not have any information written on his list about Cambiasso. However, he derived an educated guess from the videos he had studied and pretended to read the piece of paper and nodded his head before putting it away, implying to Cambiasso that he did in fact have information on the kicker. Lehmann guessed correctly and saved the penalty, thus winning the shoot-out for Germany. "Lehmann's list" became so popular in the annals of German football history that it is now in the Haus der Geschichte museum.
GK 1 Jens LehmannRB 3 Arne Friedrich CB 17Per MertesackerCB 21Christoph MetzelderLB 16Philipp LahmRM 19Bernd Schneider CM 8 Torsten FringsCM 13Michael Ballack (c)LM 7 Bastian Schweinsteiger CF 11Miroslav Klose CF 20Lukas Podolski Substitutions:MF 18Tim Borowski MF 22David Odonkor FW 10Oliver Neuville Manager:Jürgen Klinsmann GK 1 Roberto Abbondanzieri RB 4 Fabricio ColocciniCB 2 Roberto AyalaCB 6 Gabriel HeinzeLB 3 Juan Pablo Sorín (c) DM 8 Javier Mascherano RM 18Maxi Rodríguez LM 22Lucho GonzálezAM 10Juan Román Riquelme CF 9 Hernán Crespo CF 11Carlos TevezSubstitutions:GK 12Leo Franco MF 5 Esteban Cambiasso FW 20Julio Cruz Other disciplinary actions:DF 17Leandro Cufré Manager:José Pékerman
Man of the Match: Michael Ballack (Germany)
Assistant referees: Roman Slysko (Slovakia) Martin Balko (Slovakia)