So it all comes down to this. After the chaos of the second round, we had a pretty open draw. But since then there haven't been any real surprises:
But we do have a first-time finalist. Italy are the only one of the 'big five' sides never to win the Draft World Cup, and until this year had never been in a final before. They were runners-up in the European Championship, as a new-look team shook off two years of gloom, but obviously they want to go one better here.
But if they want to do so, they will have to beat the reigning champions England, who have matched France's achievement of three successive finals and could match them in winning two in a row. Whilst the tournament favourites couldn't win any of the three tournaments they've played in this year, they have kept up their spot as world #1 and have lived up to it with their performance so far this year.
Route to the final
For both teams, the group stage was pretty easy, and indeed both teams ended with a goal difference of +9 to top their groups in style.
England looked to have a pretty straightforward last 16 clash with Venezuela (who Italy had dispatched 4-1 in the group stage), but just couldn't find a way through until Virgil van Dijk grabbed a late goal. Italy also won 1-0, against Netherlands, surviving despite going down to 10 men for a second game in a row.
The quarter finals saw England have a monumental clash with rivals France. England came armed with some surprise tactics, which worked perfectly to get them into a two-goal lead, only for France to storm back with a quickfire Sergio Ramos double. England ended up hanging on for penalties, where they triumphed. It was much easier for Italy, who cruised past Saudi Arabia 2-0.
Each side went into the semi finals strong favourites. England brushed off an early Mexican goal to come through 3-1 victors, and it looked to be similarly straightforward for Italy as they went three goals up on a toothless South Africa. But their opponents kicked into gear and got two back, only to run out of time.
Team news
Despite scoring off the bench in the semi final, Harry Kane can't displace Erling Haaland from the England XI, as the side remains unchanged.
But Italy do switch things things up. Marcelo Brozovic replaces Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as the shape changes to a 4-3-2-1. Denzel Dumfries also returns after suspension in place of Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
But if they want to do so, they will have to beat the reigning champions England, who have matched France's achievement of three successive finals and could match them in winning two in a row. Whilst the tournament favourites couldn't win any of the three tournaments they've played in this year, they have kept up their spot as world #1 and have lived up to it with their performance so far this year.
Route to the final
For both teams, the group stage was pretty easy, and indeed both teams ended with a goal difference of +9 to top their groups in style.
England looked to have a pretty straightforward last 16 clash with Venezuela (who Italy had dispatched 4-1 in the group stage), but just couldn't find a way through until Virgil van Dijk grabbed a late goal. Italy also won 1-0, against Netherlands, surviving despite going down to 10 men for a second game in a row.
The quarter finals saw England have a monumental clash with rivals France. England came armed with some surprise tactics, which worked perfectly to get them into a two-goal lead, only for France to storm back with a quickfire Sergio Ramos double. England ended up hanging on for penalties, where they triumphed. It was much easier for Italy, who cruised past Saudi Arabia 2-0.
Each side went into the semi finals strong favourites. England brushed off an early Mexican goal to come through 3-1 victors, and it looked to be similarly straightforward for Italy as they went three goals up on a toothless South Africa. But their opponents kicked into gear and got two back, only to run out of time.
Team news
Despite scoring off the bench in the semi final, Harry Kane can't displace Erling Haaland from the England XI, as the side remains unchanged.
But Italy do switch things things up. Marcelo Brozovic replaces Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as the shape changes to a 4-3-2-1. Denzel Dumfries also returns after suspension in place of Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
The players are out, the anthems are thankfully not actually sung, and Victor Osimhen kicks off the 2023 Draft World Cup final!
It's not a great start for Italy, as a loose pass from Sandro Tonali is intercepted by Bukayo Saka, who plays a one-two with Bernardo Silva and slides a pass through for Haaland. His shot is saved by Maignan, but the flag was up anyway.
Italy's gamble is to flood the centre of the pitch, which does leave space out wide. But England still just play through the middle of them, and in the third minute Kevin De Bruyne picks out Saka in the box. He tries to fit it through to Mohamed Salah but Kim Min-Jae blocks it, only for the ball to fall to Haaland who lashes it in! It was a quickfire move, so there's a difficult VAR check for offside... and once again Haaland is off! No goal, but Italy need to buck their ideas up quickly here.
Italy's gamble is to flood the centre of the pitch, which does leave space out wide. But England still just play through the middle of them, and in the third minute Kevin De Bruyne picks out Saka in the box. He tries to fit it through to Mohamed Salah but Kim Min-Jae blocks it, only for the ball to fall to Haaland who lashes it in! It was a quickfire move, so there's a difficult VAR check for offside... and once again Haaland is off! No goal, but Italy need to buck their ideas up quickly here.
England remain camped in Italy's half, and in the 14th minute they get a corner. Silva's cross is glanced on by van Dijk, and De Bruyne heads it past Maignan! England lead, and it's thoroughly deserved!
De Bruyne has a powerful free kick tipped behind, as England keep the pressure up. The resulting corner is headed on by Haaland this time, but Sergej Milinkovic-Savic beats Rúben Dias to the ball. De Bruyne runs back to beat Paulo Dybala to the ball on the edge of the box, and he heads it towards goal. For some reason, Maignan is extremely slow to react and it settles in the bottom corner! What happened there? It feels like there should be a foul or something, but there wasn't - De Bruyne and England have their second!
It's a miserable experience for Italy, and it gets worse in the 27th minute when a deep free kick cross from De Bruyne finds both Salah and Dias waiting. It's the centre back who heads it, and Maignan can't keep it out of his near post. 3-0... eesh.
To emphasise how one-sided this half has been, England's 10th shot of the match comes before Italy get their first away. And a devastating half of football ends when Brozovic dawdles for ages on the ball, allowing Haaland to poke it away from him to Silva, who returns the favour with a pass in behind, and Haaland powers a shot home to make it a crushing 4-0 at the break. Oh man.
Italy take off Tonali and bring on Kvaratskhelia. Whilst the first half performance and subsequent substitution seems like proof their tactics for this final were wrong, it should be considered that they've conceded three times from set pieces and once from a pass through the middle. They've just had a series of terrible performances.
Kvaratskhelia has an immediate impact, finding space on the left and crossing for Milinkovic-Savic. He gets a good shot away, but Alisson bats it away. Dybala is first to the rebound but the angle is too difficult and his shot is into the outside of the post!
Kvaratskhelia has an immediate impact, finding space on the left and crossing for Milinkovic-Savic. He gets a good shot away, but Alisson bats it away. Dybala is first to the rebound but the angle is too difficult and his shot is into the outside of the post!
It's a much more even half, as England try to shut the game down. A long pass from Brozovic puts Osimhen through, but Alisson makes a good stop and he was offside regardless. Italy's striker goes very close with a header at a corner, but can only ripple the side netting.
And in the 78th minute they finally get their reward - after England sub Heung-Min Son overran the ball Nicolo Barella found Milinkovic-Savic who put a pass into the huge gap between Dias and van Dijk for Osimhen, and this time he tucked it in the bottom corner!
And in the 78th minute they finally get their reward - after England sub Heung-Min Son overran the ball Nicolo Barella found Milinkovic-Savic who put a pass into the huge gap between Dias and van Dijk for Osimhen, and this time he tucked it in the bottom corner!
He has a chance straight from the restart too, as he meets Di Lorenzo's low cross with a shot held by Alisson. England respond to their sudden drop-off by bringing Aymeric Laporte on for Salah and changing to their 5-3-2 formation.
It works, in that the Italian chances stop piling up. In added time England offer a reminder of their best with an elegant passing move down the left. Their substitutes are heavily involved; Oleksandr Zinchenko cuts it inside to Son, who plays it to the underlapping Laporte. He squares it to De Bruyne whose eyes light up at the thought of a final hat trick. Unfortunately, Harry Kane is in the way of the shot, but he inadvertently deflects it to club teammate Son who executes a wonderful volley but is a fraction too high and clips the top of the bar!
It works, in that the Italian chances stop piling up. In added time England offer a reminder of their best with an elegant passing move down the left. Their substitutes are heavily involved; Oleksandr Zinchenko cuts it inside to Son, who plays it to the underlapping Laporte. He squares it to De Bruyne whose eyes light up at the thought of a final hat trick. Unfortunately, Harry Kane is in the way of the shot, but he inadvertently deflects it to club teammate Son who executes a wonderful volley but is a fraction too high and clips the top of the bar!
It's the final flourish to an almost-perfect final for England, and a few minutes later the final whistle confirms what we've known almost all game - they are the champions!
Final score: England 4-1 Italy
Player of the match: Kevin De Bruyne (ENG)
There is no doubt the scoreline slightly flattered England. Italy responded really gamely in the second half and will wonder what would have happened if they had started in their usual 4-3-3. They were undone by set piece goals and individual mistakes, and the second half had a bit of a feeling of the last day of term at school as England's players brought in their own toys and did wordsearches.
Player of the match: Kevin De Bruyne (ENG)
There is no doubt the scoreline slightly flattered England. Italy responded really gamely in the second half and will wonder what would have happened if they had started in their usual 4-3-3. They were undone by set piece goals and individual mistakes, and the second half had a bit of a feeling of the last day of term at school as England's players brought in their own toys and did wordsearches.
So that's that!
So the tournament favourites win the tournament, but that doesn't tell the full story. England were obviously most tested by France, although they didn't have it all their own way against Venezuela either. But once they got to the latter stages, they roared across the finish line. It wasn't to be for Italy, but a new best DWC performance is something to be very proud of.
England take the team trophy, but there are a few individual trinkets to hand out next time when we give out the tournament awards.
England take the team trophy, but there are a few individual trinkets to hand out next time when we give out the tournament awards.