Final
Italy 1, France 1
Italy won the World Cup final on penalties on Sunday after a dramatic final destined to be remembered for the sensational sending off for French captain Zinedine Zidane in his farewell match.
For only the second time in the history of the tournament, the sport's greatest prize was settled by spot-kicks after the teams had finished extra-time deadlocked at 1-1.
Italy defender Fabio Grosso rifled home the Azzurri's winning penalty to clinch a 5-3 victory in the shootout after France substitute David Trezeguet had missed his side's second spot-kick.
It was the first time Italy had won a penalty shootout in four attempts and it handed Marcello Lippi's men a fourth World Cup crown to set alongside victories in 1934, 1938 and 1982.
An emotional Lippi paid tribute to his players after the victory.
"I just want to say thank you to them. They gave absolutely everything they had. It is just a fantastic feeling, it is something that you can only get in this job," he said.
"It is so much more than winning the Champions League or winning the Championship. It means we are world champions," Lippi said.
Italy skipper Fabio Cannavaro said the win would ease the pain of wide-ranging match-fixing scandals that have dragged his country's soccer-playing reputation through the mud in recent months.
"Italy have wanted this for a long time and, coming after everything that has happened in the past few months, it was really needed," Cannavaro said.
"Its a fantastic feeling. My son asked to sleep in my bed last night, but I told him he could share it with me and the trophy soon," he said.
But Italy's success in the penalty denouement seemed almost incidental to the amazing scenes in the second-half of extra time when Zidane was sent off for a moment of off-the-ball madness in the 109th minute.
Having played majestically throughout, Zidane blew his cool and unleashed a vicious head butt into the chest of Marco Materazzi that sent the Italy defender crashing to the turf.
Devastated France coach Raymond Domenech said the Italians had targeted Zidane for rough treatment and had harsh words for Materazzi.
But Italian defender Gianluca Zambrotta could not resist a dig.
"It was a spiteful gesture. I wasn't surprised, because he did that when he played for Juventus," Zambrotta said.
Domenech, meanwhile, said he could not take any satisfaction from the fact that France outplayed Italy for long periods.
"I am deeply disappointed. On the merits of the match we deserved it. Only victory is beautiful and we missed out. We can say it wasn't too bad, but it is the Italians who are the world champions. They played for the penalties because that was the only option for them," Domenech said.
Zidane's head butt was missed by referee Horacio Elizondo, but Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon remonstrated furiously with the linesman and the official called over the man-in-the-middle.
After a lengthy consultation, Elizondo raced over to the middle and stunned Zidane by brandishing red.
Deafening whistles and jeers rang around the Olympic Stadium from disgusted fans who had not had the benefit of a television replay that vindicated Elizondo's decision entirely.
While Zidane appeared to be subjected to some verbal abuse from Materazzi moments before the incident, his attack on the Italian center-half had left Elizondo with no choice.
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