What a way to go. We wanted one more golden moment from the golden boy of the golden generation. Well we got one from Zinedine Zidane, and one more moment of madness into the bargain.

The man who has delighted fans from every country for the last decade certainly made sure the last match of his career, in Berlin's magnificent Olympic Stadium, will never be forgotten.

Zidane's breathtaking skill and talent for the unexpected were in evidence for as long as he was on the pitch, 110 minutes to be exact.

But there has always been a bit of the Marseille streetfighter in Zidane.

Quite what Italy's Marco Materazzi said to him as they walked back to the centre circle may never be known, but whatever it was, something inside Zidane snapped.

As the giant defender loomed over him, Zidane delivered a headbutt into his chest, and Materazzi went down like a felled tree.

Reputations matters not to referee Horacio Elizondo - David Beckham and Wayne Rooney are among those in his red-card book - and the best player of his era stalked off the pitch looking moody, mean but not so magnificent.

What should not be forgotten among all the drama around Zidane is that it was Italy who had the outstanding player of this World Cup, and thus it seems right that they should had triumphed.

That man was Fabio Cannavaro, the spring-heeled captain and centre-back who, once more, was utterly awesome.

Every player in that Italian team should have shaken his hand and said 'thanks for winning us the World Cup." Indeed, they probably did.

Would Zidane have made the difference had his control not deserted him? It meant France were denied Zidane's services for the penalty shoot-out, but he had already written his name indelibly into the annals of this final from the spot.

Florent Malouda had won the penalty in the seventh minute after Thierry Henry headed on a long kick from Fabien Barthez. Malouda darted towards goal, Materazzi stuck out one long, clumsy leg and Elizondo pointed to the spot.

It's your last-ever match in professional football, in the World Cup final no less, so what you do? Chip the best goalkeeper in the world from the spot. Just to make it more exciting you hit the crossbar and the ball bounces down over the line and then out again.

Fortunately the linesman spotted that it was indeed a goal and saved the football world an orgy of recrimination.

Italy's salvation arrived from an unexpected quarter. France have the height to deal with set-pieces but a trio of Andrea Pirlo corners created such havoc that the French were fortunate to just concede the one goal.

It was Materazzi, making up for his previous misdemeanour, beating Vieira in the air to head firmly past Barthez, and one heavily-tattooed arm was raised aloft.

Materazzi had another header cleared off the line then from the same source Luca Toni headed against the bar.

If Italy had had much the better of the first half, the French emerged from the dressing rooms fired with a new desire.

Henry in particular, perhaps realising that looking for a quick ball from Zidane is akin to waiting for Godot - it's just not his style - started running at the Italians on his own and caused major discomfort in the ranks of the Azzurri.

One fantastic run, in classic Henry fashion, took him past four challenges but he could only direct a weak shot into Buffon's hands.

Then the Arsenal player sidestepped Fabio Cannavaro, and not many players can say they have done that his World Cup, but his snapshot was well-saved by Buffon.

Sensing problems, Marcello Lippi toughened up his midfield - which was already pretty tough - by the addition of Daniele de Rossi, fresh from his four-match suspension for elbowing Brian McBride, and that at least stemmed the French flow.

Franck Ribery's one-two with Malouda almost paid off but the bright young hope of French football missed the upright by a whisker.

Zidane had one last golden chance for the golden generation with a bullet header but Buffon performed heroics, tipping the ball over at full stretch.

Then came Zidane's demise, a wretched if spectacular end, and when you saw Materazzi walking up to take Italy's second penalty the writing was already on the wall for France.

David Trezeguet, architect of Italy's downfall in the final of Euro 2000, missed and Fabio Grosso, hero of the semi-final against Germany, struck the winning kick before embarking on a wild sprint the length of the pitch, a picture of pure ecstasy.

Zidane, at least, did not have to watch.