# 2006 FIFA World Cup Group C

Play in Group C of the 2006 FIFA World Cup began on 10 June 2006 and ended on 21 June. Argentina won the group and advanced to the round of 16, along with the Netherlands. The two sides tied on points in the standings, but Argentina won the tie-break on goal difference and ended the group in first with the Netherlands in second place. The Ivory Coast and Serbia and Montenegro failed to advance.
Upon completion of the draw for the tournament, many football pundits remarked that this group appeared to be the "group of death", despite the fact that only Argentina had qualified for the previous World Cup.

## Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Argentina | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Ivory Coast | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Serbia and Montenegro | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 | −8 | 0 | |
* Argentina advanced to play Mexico (runners-up of Group D) in the round of 16.
* The Netherlands advanced to play Portugal (winners of Group D) in the round of 16.

## Matches

All times local (CEST/UTC+2)

### Argentina vs Ivory Coast

| Argentina | Ivory Coast |
| GK | 1 | Roberto Abbondanzieri |
| RB | 21 | Nicolás Burdisso |
| CB | 2 | Roberto Ayala |
| CB | 6 | Gabriel Heinze | 48' |
| LB | 3 | Juan Pablo Sorín (c) |
| RM | 18 | Maxi Rodríguez |
| CM | 8 | Javier Mascherano |
| LM | 5 | Esteban Cambiasso |
| AM | 10 | Juan Román Riquelme | | 90+3' |
| CF | 7 | Javier Saviola | 41' | 75' |
| CF | 9 | Hernán Crespo | | 64' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 14 | Rodrigo Palacio | | 64' |
| MF | 22 | Lucho González | 81' | 75' |
| MF | 16 | Pablo Aimar | | 90+3' |
| Manager: ||
| José Pékerman ||
| GK | 1 | Jean-Jacques Tizié |
| RB | 21 | Emmanuel Eboué | 62' |
| CB | 4 | Kolo Touré |
| CB | 12 | Abdoulaye Méïté |
| LB | 3 | Arthur Boka |
| CM | 19 | Yaya Touré |
| CM | 5 | Didier Zokora |
| RW | 18 | Abdul Kader Keïta | | 77' |
| AM | 8 | Bonaventure Kalou | | 55' |
| LW | 2 | Kanga Akalé | | 62' |
| CF | 11 | Didier Drogba (c) | 90+1' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 15 | Aruna Dindane | | 55' |
| FW | 14 | Bakari Koné | | 62' |
| FW | 9 | Arouna Koné | | 77' |
| Manager: ||
| Henri Michel ||
* Argentina start with 2-1 win in Group C
* Man of the Match:
* Javier Saviola (Argentina)
* Assistant referees:
* Peter Hermans (Belgium)
* Walter Vromans (Belgium)
* Fourth official:
* Éric Poulat (France)
* Fifth official:
* Vincent Texier (France)

### Serbia and Montenegro vs Netherlands

| Serbia and Montenegro | Netherlands |
| GK | 1 | Dragoslav Jevrić |
| RB | 14 | Nenad Đorđević | | 43' |
| CB | 6 | Goran Gavrančić | 90' |
| CB | 20 | Mladen Krstajić |
| LB | 3 | Ivica Dragutinović | 81' |
| RM | 10 | Dejan Stanković | 34' |
| CM | 4 | Igor Duljaj |
| CM | 17 | Albert Nađ |
| LM | 11 | Predrag Đorđević |
| CF | 9 | Savo Milošević (c) | | 46' |
| CF | 8 | Mateja Kežman | | 67' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 7 | Ognjen Koroman | 64' | 43' |
| FW | 19 | Nikola Žigić | | 46' |
| FW | 21 | Danijel Ljuboja | | 67' |
| Manager: ||
| Ilija Petković ||
| GK | 1 | Edwin van der Sar (c) |
| RB | 14 | John Heitinga | 85' |
| CB | 13 | André Ooijer |
| CB | 4 | Joris Mathijsen | | 86' |
| LB | 5 | Giovanni van Bronckhorst | 56' |
| RM | 18 | Mark van Bommel | | 60' |
| CM | 20 | Wesley Sneijder |
| LM | 8 | Phillip Cocu |
| RF | 17 | Robin van Persie |
| CF | 9 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | | 69' |
| LF | 11 | Arjen Robben |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 6 | Denny Landzaat | | 60' |
| FW | 7 | Dirk Kuyt | | 69' |
| DF | 3 | Khalid Boulahrouz | | 86' |
| Manager: ||
| Marco van Basten ||
* Netherlands ease to 1-0 win in Group C
* Man of the Match:
* Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
* Assistant referees:
* Christian Schräer (Germany)
* Jan-Hendrik Salver (Germany)
* Fourth official:
* Mohamed Guezzaz (Morocco)
* Fifth official:
* Brahim Djezzar (Algeria)

### Argentina vs Serbia and Montenegro

| Argentina | Serbia and Montenegro |
| GK | 1 | Roberto Abbondanzieri |
| RB | 21 | Nicolás Burdisso |
| CB | 2 | Roberto Ayala |
| CB | 6 | Gabriel Heinze |
| LB | 3 | Juan Pablo Sorín (c) |
| DM | 8 | Javier Mascherano |
| RW | 22 | Lucho González | | 17' |
| AM | 10 | Juan Román Riquelme |
| LW | 18 | Maxi Rodríguez | | 75' |
| CF | 7 | Javier Saviola | | 59' |
| CF | 9 | Hernán Crespo | 36' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 5 | Esteban Cambiasso | | 17' |
| FW | 11 | Carlos Tevez | | 59' |
| FW | 19 | Lionel Messi | | 75' |
| Manager: ||
| José Pékerman ||
| GK | 1 | Dragoslav Jevrić |
| RB | 4 | Igor Duljaj |
| CB | 6 | Goran Gavrančić |
| CB | 15 | Milan Dudić |
| LB | 20 | Mladen Krstajić | 42' |
| RM | 7 | Ognjen Koroman | 7' | 50' |
| CM | 17 | Albert Nađ | 27' | 46' |
| CM | 11 | Predrag Đorđević |
| LM | 10 | Dejan Stanković |
| CF | 9 | Savo Milošević (c) | | 70' |
| CF | 8 | Mateja Kežman | 65' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 2 | Ivan Ergić | | 46' |
| FW | 21 | Danijel Ljuboja | | 50' |
| MF | 18 | Zvonimir Vukić | | 70' |
| Manager: ||
| Ilija Petković ||
* Argentina thrash Serbia and Montenegro in Group C
* Man of the Match:
* Juan Román Riquelme (Argentina)
* Assistant referees:
* Cristiano Copelli (Italy)
* Alessandro Stagnoli (Italy)
* Fourth official:
* Essam Abd El Fatah (Egypt)
* Fifth official:
* Dramane Danté (Mali)

### Netherlands vs Ivory Coast

| Netherlands | Ivory Coast |
| GK | 1 | Edwin van der Sar (c) |
| RB | 14 | John Heitinga | | 46' |
| CB | 13 | André Ooijer |
| CB | 4 | Joris Mathijsen | 35' |
| LB | 5 | Giovanni van Bronckhorst |
| RM | 18 | Mark van Bommel | 58' |
| CM | 20 | Wesley Sneijder | | 50' |
| LM | 8 | Phillip Cocu |
| RF | 11 | Arjen Robben | 34' |
| CF | 9 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | | 73' |
| LF | 17 | Robin van Persie |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 3 | Khalid Boulahrouz | | 46' |
| MF | 10 | Rafael van der Vaart | | 50' |
| MF | 6 | Denny Landzaat | 90+4' | 73' |
| Manager: ||
| Marco van Basten ||
| GK | 1 | Jean-Jacques Tizié |
| RB | 21 | Emmanuel Eboué |
| CB | 4 | Kolo Touré |
| CB | 12 | Abdoulaye Méïté |
| LB | 3 | Arthur Boka | 66' |
| CM | 19 | Yaya Touré |
| CM | 5 | Didier Zokora | 25' |
| CM | 22 | Romaric | | 62' |
| RF | 14 | Bakari Koné | | 62' |
| CF | 11 | Didier Drogba (c) | 41' |
| LF | 9 | Arouna Koné | | 73' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 10 | Gilles Yapi Yapo | | 62' |
| FW | 15 | Aruna Dindane | | 62' |
| MF | 2 | Kanga Akalé | | 73' |
| Manager: ||
| Henri Michel ||
* Netherlands defeat Ivory Coast in Group C
* Man of the Match:
* Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
* Assistant referees:
* José Navia (Colombia)
* Fernando Tamayo (Ecuador)
* Fourth official:
* Marco Rodríguez (Mexico)
* Fifth official:
* José Luis Camargo (Mexico)

### Netherlands vs Argentina

| Netherlands | Argentina |
| GK | 1 | Edwin van der Sar (c) |
| RB | 2 | Kew Jaliens |
| CB | 3 | Khalid Boulahrouz |
| CB | 13 | André Ooijer | 42' |
| LB | 15 | Tim de Cler | 48' |
| RM | 10 | Rafael van der Vaart |
| CM | 20 | Wesley Sneijder | | 86' |
| LM | 8 | Phillip Cocu |
| RF | 17 | Robin van Persie | | 67' |
| CF | 9 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | | 56' |
| LF | 7 | Dirk Kuyt | 28' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 21 | Ryan Babel | | 56' |
| MF | 6 | Denny Landzaat | | 67' |
| MF | 16 | Hedwiges Maduro | | 86' |
| Manager: ||
| Marco van Basten ||
| GK | 1 | Roberto Abbondanzieri |
| RB | 21 | Nicolás Burdisso | | 24' |
| CB | 2 | Roberto Ayala (c) |
| CB | 15 | Gabriel Milito |
| LB | 17 | Leandro Cufré |
| RM | 18 | Maxi Rodríguez |
| CM | 8 | Javier Mascherano | 90' |
| LM | 5 | Esteban Cambiasso | 57' |
| AM | 10 | Juan Román Riquelme | | 80' |
| CF | 19 | Lionel Messi | | 70' |
| CF | 11 | Carlos Tevez |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 4 | Fabricio Coloccini | | 24' |
| FW | 20 | Julio Cruz | | 70' |
| MF | 16 | Pablo Aimar | | 80' |
| Manager: ||
| José Pékerman ||
* Argentina and Netherlands play 0-0 stalemate in Group C
* Man of the Match:
* Carlos Tevez (Argentina)
* Assistant referees:
* Victoriano Giráldez Carrasco (Spain)
* Pedro Medina Hernández (Spain)
* Fourth official:
* Carlos Chandía (Chile)
* Fifth official:
* Rodrigo González (Chile)

### Ivory Coast vs Serbia and Montenegro

| Ivory Coast | Serbia and Montenegro |
| GK | 23 | Boubacar Barry |
| RB | 21 | Emmanuel Eboué |
| CB | 6 | Blaise Kouassi |
| CB | 17 | Cyril Domoraud (c) | 41' 90+2' |
| LB | 3 | Arthur Boka |
| RM | 18 | Abdul Kader Keïta | 33' | 73' |
| CM | 5 | Didier Zokora |
| CM | 19 | Yaya Touré |
| LM | 2 | Kanga Akalé | | 60' |
| CF | 15 | Aruna Dindane | 43' |
| CF | 9 | Arouna Koné |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 14 | Bakari Koné | | 60' |
| FW | 8 | Bonaventure Kalou | | 73' |
| Manager: ||
| Henri Michel ||
| GK | 1 | Dragoslav Jevrić |
| RB | 14 | Nenad Đorđević |
| CB | 6 | Goran Gavrančić | 57' |
| CB | 15 | Milan Dudić | 35' |
| LB | 20 | Mladen Krstajić | | 16' |
| RM | 10 | Dejan Stanković (c) |
| CM | 4 | Igor Duljaj | 37' |
| CM | 22 | Saša Ilić |
| CM | 11 | Predrag Đorđević |
| LM | 2 | Ivan Ergić |
| CF | 19 | Nikola Žigić | | 67' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 17 | Albert Nađ | 17' 45+1' | 16' |
| FW | 9 | Savo Milošević | | 67' |
| Manager: ||
| Ilija Petković ||
* Ivory Coast beats Serbia and Montenegro 3-2 in Group C
* Man of the Match:
* Aruna Dindane (Ivory Coast)
* Assistant referees:
* José Luis Camargo (Mexico)
* Leonel Leal (Costa Rica)
* Fourth official:
* Mohamed Guezzaz (Morocco)
* Fifth official:
* Brahim Djezzar (Algeria)