BERLIN, Germany -- Italy won a penalty shootout 5-3 to lift the World Cup for the fourth time after French captain Zinedine Zidane was sensationally sent off near the end of the final that was tied 1-1 after extra time.
The French captain was shown the red card in the final match of his career for inexplicably headbutting Marco Materazzi.
Zidane had scored a seventh minute penalty to put France ahead in Sunday's final in Berlin with Materazzi equalizing 12 minutes later.
With the shock of Zidane's moment of madness still hanging over the Olympic stadium, the greatest prize in world football went down to the lottery of spot kicks.
Italy kept their nerve the better with five immaculate penalties, the fifth and crucial strike from the boot of Fabio Grosso.
David Trezeguet's missed effort for France which hit the underside of the crossbar ultimately proved the difference, the only player from either side to miss.
"It's incredibly emotional, words cannot hardly describe it," Grosso said. "Maybe we still don't realize what we have achieved. We really wanted to win and in the end we made it."
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BERLIN, Germany -- Italy won a penalty shootout 5-3 to lift the World Cup for the fourth time after French captain Zinedine Zidane was sensationally sent off near the end of the final that was tied 1-1 after extra time.
