Would any current Italy player make it into the 2006 World Cup-winning squad?

Would any current Italy player make it into the 2006 World Cup-winning squad? It has been 20 years to the day since Italy lifted the World Cup trophy at Olympiastadion in Berlin, the most recent knock-out game that the Azzurri have won on the world stage, and we want to know, are there any current players that would make it into the squad that triumphed in Germany two decades ago? Italy is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 2006 World Cup final on Thursday, played on July 9. It was a star-studded side 20 years ago, one that kept the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, Pippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Nesta on the substitutes bench in the final; Francesco Totti, Luca Toni and a Fabio Cannavaro-Marco Materazzi centre-back pairing preferred by Marcello Lippi. BERLIN – JULY 09: The Italian players celebrate as Fabio Cannavaro lifts the World Cup trophy aloft following victory in a penalty shootout at the end of the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final match between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Comparing the Italy side that started the 2006 final to the Italy team that lined up in its most recent competitive match, the infamous World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina in March of 2026, it is difficult to argue that any current player would make it into the side became world champions 20 years ago. Italy’s line-up in the 2006 World Cup final: Buffon; Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Materazzi, Grosso; Camoranesi, Gattuso, Pirlo, Perrotta; Totti; Toni. Italy’s line-up in the 2026 World Cup play-off final: Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui. ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Players pose for a team photo prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images) Gianluigi Donnarumma? Certainly not over Gianluigi Buffon. Sandro Tonali? Not over Andrea Pirlo. Riccardo Calafiori? Not over Fabio Cannavaro. The more sensible question is whether any of the current Italy squad would have even been able to make it into the 23-man 2006 squad, rather than the starting XI. Would there then be an argument for Donnarumma over perhaps Marco Amelia? A Tonali over a Simone Barone? Let us know in the comments below if there are any 2026 players who might have made the 23-man squad had they been playing 20 years ago, and if so, who? Italy squad for the 2006 World Cup BERLIN – JULY 09: The Italian players and coaching staff celebrate following their victory in a penalty shootout at the end of the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final match between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images) Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon, Angelo Peruzzi, Marco Amelia. Defenders: Cristian Zaccardo, Fabio Grosso, Fabio Cannavaro, Andrea Barzagli, Alessandro Nesta, Gianluca Zambrotta, Massimo Oddo, Marco Materazzi. Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi, Gennaro Gattuso, Mauro Camoranesi, Simeone Barone, Simone Perrotta, Andrea Pirlo. Forwards: Alessandro Del Piero, Luca Toni, Francesco Totti, Alberto Gilardino, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Filippo Inzaghi. Italy’s most recent competitive squad in 2026 ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MARCH 31: Players of Italy sing the national anthem prior the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy at Stadion Bilino Polje on March 31, 2026 in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images) Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Carnesecchi, Elia Caprile, Alex Meret. Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni, Alessandro Buongiorno, Riccardo Calafiori, Andrea Cambiaso, Diego Coppola, Federico Dimarco, Federico Gatti, Gianluca Mancini, Marco Palestra, Giorgio Scalvini, Leonardo Spinazzola. Midfielders: Nicolo Barella, Bryan Cristante, Davide Frattesi, Manuel Locatelli, Niccolo Pisilli, Sandro Tonali. Forwards: Federico Chiesa, Francesco Pio Esposito, Moise Kean, Matteo Politano, Giacomo Raspadori, Mateo Retegui, Gianluca Scamacca. * This is the Italy squad that was named ahead of the 2026 World Cup play-off campaign. Italy have since played two international friendlies under interim head coach Silvio Baldini at the beginning of June, but took a squad of made up almost entirely of  U21 players that were well-known to the temporary CT.