2006 FIFA WORLD CUP, GERMANY View fullsize Football fans from around the world flocked to Germany for the 2006 World Cup Finals. View fullsize Rolling a smoke during the half-time interval of the game between Australia and Japan. The score is Australia 0-1 Japan. But three second-half goals by Australia in the last eight minutes, including one in injury time, steal the tie for the Socceroos. Heartbreaking for the Japanese but a dream come true for the Aussies who record their first ever World Cup victory. View fullsize An Australian supporter wills his nation to victory against Japan. The game took place in Kaiserslautern but many Australians gathered at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate to watch the action on enormous video screens. View fullsize V is for victory. Australian supporters in Berlin celebrate their 3-1 defeat of Japan. View fullsize Ecuador celebrate their 3-0 victory over Costa Rica. Did you know Panama hats are from Ecuador? View fullsize Supporters of Poland and Germany enter into the spirit of the tournament. View fullsize Germany beat Poland 1-0 with a late goal in stoppage time. For this Polish fan the tension is unbearable. View fullsize Excitement grew as England prepared to face Trinidad and Tobago. View fullsize Late goals from Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard spared England's blushes against Trinidad & Tobago. View fullsize Leading the Barmy Army in a victory parade following their 2-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago. View fullsize England crashed out of the World Cup against Portugal in a quarter-final penalty shoot out. View fullsize Italy beat Germany 2-0 in an absorbing semi-final. They went onto conquer France and win the World Cup for a fourth time, one fewer than Brazil. View fullsize The 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany were hailed as one of the best ever. From around the world hundreds of thousands of fans travelled to Germany where they soaked up the electrifying atmosphere, while billions more from Angola to Zambia stayed glued to television sets or huddled round radios anxious not to miss the world's greatest sporting spectacle. Men and women, young and old came together to create an unforgettable global carnival atmosphere that transcended politics, religion and race.