World Cup finalists Italy and France are beginning their build-up for Sunday’s grand showcase match in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

The French joined the Italians for the biggest spectacle in world sport by grafting out a 1-0 semi-final win over Portugal late Wednesday in Munich thanks to a 33rd minute penalty by veteran skipper Zinedine Zidane.

The Italians had the luxury of sitting back and watching the game on television from their Duisberg base having defeated hosts Germany 2-0 the previous night in Dortmund.

And they will know that the man who is the heart and soul of this ageing French team is the 34-year-old master midfielder Zidane.

The final against Italy will be his last game before retiring and he will take with him others from France’s 1998 World Cup-winning side - like defender Lilian Thuram and goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.

Zidane, who was talked into coming out of retirement to reinvigorate a flagging French team during the qualifiers for Germany, put high emphasis on team-work and solidarity.

“Our slogan is ‘we will live or die together,’” he said after the win over Portugal.

“We must bring the cup back, it would be magnificent, not just for the players but for all our personnel and all the people who have supported us, at least those who supported us from the outset and not those who joined in halfway through.”

The French were on the way back to their base near the northern city of Hanover on Thursday where they were expected to remain until Saturday when they will head over to Berlin for the final.

The reaction back home has been huge and reminiscent of July 1998 with police estimating at half a million the crowds of fans who swarmed on to the Champs-Elysees to celebrate the French win.

But there was a darker side with two deaths reported and police in Paris, Marseille and Lyon having to use teargas to disperse groups of youths who let their celebrations get out of hand.

French television meanwhile recorded its biggest viewing audience since 1989 with 22.2 million people watching the game with Portugal.

To beat the Italians, the French will have to do what no other side has managed during the tournament - score a goal against them.

The only goal conceded by the Italians in the six games they have played in Germany was an own-goal by defender Cristian Zaccardo in the group stages game against Australia.

The Italians have a near clean bill-of-health and no suspensions with the return of gritty Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi after he sat out a four-match ban incurred in the second game against the United States.

On top of that, there is the motivation of revenge for the loss on penalties to France in the quarter-finals of the 1998 tournament in Paris.

“That defeat in Paris still hurts,” said skipper and defensive anchorman Fabio Cannavaro. “I was young, but its still painful. Maybe its a chance for revenge.”

Source:Soccer News