Italy 1-1 France aet (Italy won 5-3 on pens)

2006 World Cup Final
7pm (BST), Sunday 9 July 2006
Olympiastadion, Berlin

Italy won their fourth World Cup on a penalty shootout and became the best European side in the tournament's history. In a classic encounter with France, the Italians emerged victorious from a truly eventful final.

Marcelo Lippi's side blossomed into World Champions on a picturesque evening in Berlin in front of a global audience, showing nerve and defiance to triumph from the spot with five expertly taken penalties.

The game had ended 1-1 despite numerous chances for both sides, although the match will doubtless be remembered just as much for the sending off of the talismanic midfielder Zinedine Zidane as the winning kick from Fabio Grosso.

It was Zidane who got the game off to a dream start with a penalty in the seventh minute, following a collision between Materazzi and Malouda.

Zidane showed nerves of steel to audaciously chip the ball past Buffon, although it required a second glance to confirm that it had indeed crossed the line after the ball crashed down from the crossbar.

The French lead lasted just 12 minutes as Italy hit back quickly through the aerial threat of Marco Materazzi. Making amends for his indiscretion in giving away the penalty, the Inter defender rose above Patrick Vieira to power the ball past Fabian Barthez and level the scores.

The speedy equaliser turned the tables on a confident start from Les Bleus, and it was andiamio Italiano. With Gattuso breaking up the France attacks with ease it was left to Pirlo and Totti to provide the ammunition for the valiant Luca Toni.

The set pieces were a constant threat with the fantastic delivery of Andrea Pirlo combined with the powerful Italian runners causing Raymond Domenech's side problems.

First Materazzi came close to scoring a second goal, only to be denied by the defending of Abidal, then the Fiorentina forward Luca Toni crashed a header against the woodwork.

France survived the onslaught and made it to the interval with the scores level, and returned from the break with renewed vigour for the battle.

Malouda in particular seemed a different player in the second period, causing constant problems for Zambrotta and opening the game for the French with his direct running.

As the game edged towards extra time neither side seemed to be brave enough to risk losing and sure enough the game ended 1-1 at 90 minutes.

Playing his last game before retirement the stage seemed set for Zidane to turn the game before bowing out, and that moment looked like it arrived in the first period of extra time.

An accurate cross from Sagnol picked out the Real Madrid midfielder, only for Buffon to deny him with a splendid one-handed save.

When the teams changed ends the game suddenly turned for the French in bizarre fashion, moments after nearly winning the World Cup a second time Zidane was sent off for a headbutt on Materazzi in an incredible end to the Frenchman's career.

Despite having a man advantage, and with France losing Vieira and Henry to muscle injuries, Italy never really threatened Barthez in open play so the game went to penalties.

Italy made amends for their previous penalty record with five superbly taken kicks, and it was Trezeguet who suffered the cruel blow of being the man to miss his kick.

When Grosso despatched the fifth kick it was over to Fabio Cannavaro, on his 100th appearance for his country, to lift the famous trophy and bring the curtain down on an incredible tournament.

Italy: Buffon; Zambrotta, Grosso, Cannavaro, Materazzi; Gattuso, Camoranesi (Del Piero 86), Pirlo, Perrotta (Iaquinta 61), Totti (De Rossi 61), Toni.

Goals: Materazzi 19

France: Barthez; Sagnol, Abidal, Thuram, Gallas; Makelele, Vieira (Diarra 56), Malouda, Ribery (Trezeguet 100), Zidane, Henry (Wiltord 107)

Goals: Zidane pen 7

Ref: Horacio Marcelo Elizondo

Att: 69000