Italy Is on Top of the World

Azzurri Defeat France to Win Soccer's Premier Tournament

BERLIN, July 9 -- After 31 days and 64 matches, the championship of the world's most popular sports event came down to one moment on Sunday night in Olympic Stadium: Italy's Fabio Grosso facing French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, 12 yards of grass separating the ball and the goal, and the simplest of outcomes resting on a shot.

If Grosso could score, Italy would win the World Cup.

Both players had performed under pressure in the past. Barthez had became a national icon after helping France win the 1998 World Cup. Grosso, meantime, seemed to be heading for similar status at home if he could make this kick and play the decisive role in an Italian victory for a third time in this tournament.

Grosso connected with his left foot and sent the ball flying to the upper right corner of the goal. Barthez -- with only a split-second to commit -- guessed the ball would go the other way. The ball rocketed into the back of the net, Barthez watched over his shoulder as he fell to the turf, and a crowd of 69,000 let loose a roar. Vittoria! No victoire . Italy won on penalty kicks, 5-3, after a 1-1 game.

Grosso dashed from one side of the field to the other, with the rest of his teammates following in happy pursuit. The manic and joyous celebration, in which tough-guy midfielder Gennaro Gattuso somehow ended up without shorts and without shoes, was catharsis for them. Italy, beset by a soccer corruption scandal at home, claimed the World Cup for the fourth time overall and the first in 24 years.

"The players have unlimited heart, character, and personality," said Marcello Lippi, the Italian coach.

The French players could only sit and watch, except for midfielder Zinedine Zidane. The man who is considered to be the greatest player of his generation was in the locker room, his celebrated career having come to a disgraceful end with a late red-card ejection.

The sellout crowd included United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and former president Bill Clinton. An estimated 1 billion people in 207 countries were expected to follow it on television, making it the world's most-watched sporting event.

A month ago, neither Italy nor France seemed likely candidates to win the World Cup. The French were too old and the Italians would be done in by a difficult first-round schedule and the match-fixing scandal, many observers said. Host Germany, Argentina and Brazil were safer bets.

But Italy and France were here, and they started quickly Sunday, with France scoring on Zidane's penalty kick in the seventh minute. Italy tied the game 12 minutes later on Marco Materazzi's header.

From there, the game was largely forgettable, outside of Zidane's ejection in the second 15-minute period of extra time. Zidane, 34, who had announced he would retire from the sport after this World Cup, slammed his head into the chest of Materazzi as the two players walked down the field. Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo, after consulting sideline officials who saw a video replay, showed the French captain a red card. Zidane walked off the field, past the gold winner's trophy, and headed into retirement.

"It's a shame," said French Coach Raymond Domenech, who added that he did not see the foul when it happened. "It's sad. I prefer if he would go out in another way."