Germany 2006
Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup and delivered what became known as Sommermärchen a Summer Fairy Tale. Jürgen Klinsmann's young, attacking side captivated the nation with joyful, front-foot football. Miroslav Klose scored 5 goals, and the exuberant celebrations in fan zones across the country transformed Germany's image a nation historically cautious about displays of patriotism embraced its flag with unabashed pride. The semi-final against Italy was a heartbreaker: after 118 goalless minutes, Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero scored in the final two minutes of extra time for a 2-0 Italian victory. Germany finished third after beating Portugal. The tournament was considered a triumph of organisation and atmosphere, and Klinsmann's legacy the attacking philosophy and the renewed national confidence laid the foundation for Joachim Löw's World Cup victory eight years later.