World Cup: Italy Are World Champions

It should have been the curtain call to end all curtain calls. Zinedine Zidane, universally considered one of the greatest players ever to grace the game, was to conduct France's footballing orchestra for the last time in the World Cup Final. The sporting gods of destiny had shined, and it seemed Disney's next movie had been all but written for them. Even in defeat, surely Zidane's epic journey would find a fitting end on the grandest stage of all.

For the Italians, a stuttering campaign had finally caught fire in their thrilling defeat of Germany in the semifinals. Far from the dour, defensive unit which struggled to a 1-1 draw with the USA in the group stage, Italy had begun to exhibit the kind of verve and movement with which we associate the top teams in Serie A. With Juventus' Fabio Cannavaro in peerless form and the influence of Andrea Pirlo growing game by game, the Italians came into last night's final with confidence soaring.

Before an estimated television audience of one billion people, the game took less than 10 minutes to explode into life. Bursting into the Italian area, Florent Malouda was clipped by Marco Materazzi and tumbled to the ground. Replays indicated there was contact between the players, but the referee's decision to award France a penalty seemed harsh on the Italian defender, who appeared to be withdrawing from the challenge.

Cue Zidane. Swaggering calmly forward, the French captain sent Gianluigi Buffon the wrong way and impudently chipped his spot kick in off the crossbar. In do doing, he became only the fourth player in history to score in two World Cup finals, having headed home twice in France's 1998 defeat of Brazil. The grandstand finale beckoned and Zidane looked on imperious form.

Swarming forward, the French smelled blood and immediately hunted a second goal, releasing Frank Ribery and Thierry Henry to carry the ball into the opposing half at pace. Having resisted a spell of intense pressure, however, Italy's pairing of Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso gradually took hold of the midfield and before long the Azurri had drawn level.

Predictably, Pirlo was involved, whipping in a vicious corner, which Materazzi headed firmly past Fabian Barthez in the French goal. It was a moment of sweet redemption for the big Italian defender, and he wheeled away in wild celebration. Moments later, an almost identical chance fell to striker Luca Toni, but he crashed his header against the crossbar. Suddenly, Italy were on top. Materazzi had now been involved in the two major incidents of the match, but his impact on the evening was far from over.

The second half saw the game open up, and both sides had chances to win the game. Buffon saved well from Henry, and then spectacularly from Zidane, whose well-directed header looked destined to provide the fairytale finish. Extra-time beckoned, however, and the game's biggest talking point with it.

With the additional 30 minutes providing little in the way of goal scoring opportunity, and just 10 minutes remaining before a penalty shoot-out, Zidane became involved in a verbal exchange with Materazzi on the edge of the Italian area. Having at first walked away, the French captain turned back towards Materazzi before violently and inexplicably headbutting him in the chest, knocking the Italian defender to the ground. It was unfathomable act of recklessness and one that earned him a straight red card.

Leaving the field to the bemusement of his fellow players, Zidane had forever tarnished his legacy with a moment of unbelievable naivety. Equally, he had left the French team without their captain and one of their first choice penalty takers, as they headed into the tense last throws of a World Cup final, with a penalty shoot-out looming.

Ten-man France managed to hold out, but entered the shoot-out without Zidane, Viera, and Henry, all of whom would have been first choice takers. Ultimately, it was a miss from substitute David Trezeguet that proved the decisive moment of the penalty shoot-out. Materazzi again loomed large — he scored, as did all other four Italian penalty takers, and Marcelo Lippi's expertly coached squad were world champions.

With the national game in the midst of damaging match-fixing allegations back home, this was a triumphant show of defiance by the Italian team and one that will surely lift the spirits of an entire nation. They have proved worthy champions, through clever tactical deployment and moments of technical brilliance. Though Zidane will likely steal many of headlines, this Italy team should be rightly honored as one that conquered adversity and deservedly won the World Cup for the fourth time in their nation's history.