On the pitch

11 Jul 2006

Italy win World Cup on penalties over France

Fabio Grosso blasted home the winning penalty as Italy won the World Cup with a 5-3 penalty shootout win over France after the match finished 1-1 after 120 minutes of dramatic action.

Substitute David Trezeguet missed the crucial spotkick for France as Italy made it five out of five and won their first World Cup since 1982.

Earlier Zinedine Zidane was sent-off for headbutting Marco Materazzi and ended his career in disappointment after opening the scoring on 7 minutes from the penalty spot.

Materazzi equalised 12 minutes later but the match would go to penalties despite golden scoring chances at both ends.

Kahn announces international retirement

Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn announced here on Saturday after his country won the World Cup third-place playoff against Portugal that he was ending his international career.

"It was my last international match today and I could not have wished for a better final game for my country," Kahn said.

"It was a great time, but you have to know when it is time to stop."

Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann had dropped Kahn in favour of Jens Lehmann for the tournament, but recalled him for the third-place playoff which Germany won 3-1.

Kahn, 37, was elected the best player of the 2002 World Cup after helping Germany to the final in which they were beaten 2-0 by Brazil.

Klose finishes World Cup top scorer

Germany striker Miroslav Klose finished top scorer at the World Cup with five goals.

Klose scored twice in the 4-2 win over Costa Rica, twice in the 3-0 win against Ecuador and once in the quarter-final against Argentina.

Eight players each scored three goals.

They were: Hernan Crespo of Argentina, Fernando Torres of Spain, Thierry Henry of France, Maxi Rodriguez of Argentina, Lukas Podolski of Germany, Brazil's Ronaldo, David Villa of Spain and Zinedine Zidane of France.

No heart left in Domenech after final defeat

France coach Raymond Domenech said he was too disappointed at France's penalty shootout defeat by Italy in the World Cup final on Sunday to take anything positive out of the match.

The 54-year-old added that while there was no excuse for Zinedine Zidane's headbutting of Marco Materazzi in the chest in the second period of extra-time - for which he was sent-off in his final ever match - he also accused the Italians of targeting him.

"Materrazzi is the man of the match not Pirlo.

"To see him finish his career in this way is sad. He has had a great career and a great World Cup.

"When one has to put up with what he had to for 80 minutes and the referee doesn't do anything, one understands. You can't excuse it but you can understand it."

Pauleta announces international retirement

Portuguese striker Pedro Pauleta announced Saturday that he was ending his international career after his side lost the World Cup third-place playoff against Germany.

"This is the saddest day of my career. Playing for this team, scoring for this team was what I most loved doing but my time has come," the 33-year-old Paris St Germain striker told Portuguese reporters in Stuttgart.

Pauleta played 88 times for Portugal, scoring 47 goals.

The third-place playoff, won 3-1 by Germany, was a day of international farewells.

Portugal great Luis Figo and Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn also played their last matches for their country.

Portuguese legend Figo retires

Portugal said goodbye to one of its greatest heroes here on Saturday as winger Luis Figo bowed out of international football in his country's 3-1 defeat to Germany in the World Cup third place play-off.

The 33-year-old Figo won his 127th cap for Portugal - he is the country's most capped player - coming on in the 75th minute for a cameo role, providing the curling cross for Nuno Gomes to score Portugal's goal.

At the final whistle Figo was in tears after 15 years of international service came to an end.

He was part of Portugal's 'golden generation' that won the under-16 European championship in 1989 and the under-20 world championship in 1991.

With the curtain coming down on his glittering international career Figo will now concentrate on his club career with Inter Milan.

He has been arguably Portugal's finest player since the great Eusebio who top-scored at the 1966 World Cup with nine goals.

Tickets going expensive for final

Tickets for the World Cup final between Italy and France were going at a whopping 2200 euros (2800 dollars) hours before kickoff as Italian and French fans gathered to try to snap one up in a final dash for a seat at the Olympic Stadium.

Dozens of fans, including a Japanese clad in a France shirt who said he would pay up to 500 euros 'only', were asking touts at the Olympic Stadium railway station.

According to one French fan some touts carried signs reading "1400 euros minimum."

One report said a member of the Brazilian Federation had sold a ticket for 2200 euros - the top whack so far.

Zidane must have been provoked says Beckenbauer

The World Cup chief organiser Franz Beckenbauer said on Sunday that Italy defender Marco Materazzi must have said something to provoke France's Zinedine Zidane into headbutting him in the final.

"Something must have been said to Zidane. He is actually a reserved and inoffensive person," Beckenbauer said after France lost a penalty shootout without Zidane.

Beckenbauer said Zidane's dismissal after he had headbutted Materazzi in the chest in the second period of extra-time had cost France dear.

"He weakened his team. We know how sensitive the French are when they lose their captain," said the man who won World Cups as a player and coach.

Zidane, 34, had said the final would be the last match of his career.

"It is such a pity that he is stopping and we won't see him any more," Beckenbauer said.

Zidane's career ends in a fit of madness

Zinedine Zidane's career ended in high drama in the World Cup final on Sunday, the French legend scoring a penalty and then losing his temper and getting a red card for assaulting Italy defender Marco Materazzi.

After flashes of brilliance on his 108th and last cap the master midfielder had, not for the first time, a complete loss of control in the 19th minute of extra time, headbutting Materazzi - who had levelled the match earlier - viciously in the chest after the Italian defender appeared to insult him.

Referee Horacio Elizondo originally missed the incident but had no hesitation in pulling out a red card after consultation with his linesman to bring a sour and dramatic end to Zizou's glorious career.

Without their talismanic skipper France went on to lose 5-3 on penalties after the match had ended 1-1.

Zidane, whose petulance already saw him suspended for France's last group game against Togo, trudged off to the dressing room, hurling his sweat band down in frustration as he became the fourth player ever to be redcarded in the final.