Gattuso was named to Italy's 23-man squad for the 2006 World Cup, and was one of the key players in Italy's eventual victory in the tournament under manager Marcello Lippi; he won the Man of the Match award for his performance in his nation's 3–0 victory in the quarter-finals of the tournament, against Ukraine. He and Andrea Pirlo formed a formidable partnership in the heart of midfield, with Gattuso supporting Pirlo's creative playmaking duties with his work-rate and ability to break down possession. While Pirlo finished as one of the top assist providers in the tournament, Gattuso won more challenges than any other player in the tournament (47 – 11 more than Patrick Vieira in second place) and completed 351 passes out of the 392 he attempted; he also provided an assist during the tournament, helping to set up Filippo Inzaghi's goal in a 2–0 win over the Czech Republic in Italy's final group match of the tournament on 22 June. Gattuso achieved a measure of notoriety for his post-match celebrations after Italy won the World Cup final on penalties against France on 9 July, during which he removed his shorts and ran around the pitch in his underpants, until FIFA officials forced him to cover up. He was named to the tournament's All Star Team for his performances.