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ShareBERLIN: Zinedine Zidane's farewell in international football ended in a double disaster: the French captain got a red card and was sent off 18 minutes into extra time, then saw his side lose the coveted trophy to Italy in a penalty shootout.
Zidane was not only the cynosure of all eyes at the Olympic Stadium, but, perhaps, the most famous man on this planet on Sunday. Cries of "Zizou Zizou" rent the air as he took the field. For a fair while of the first 100 minutes of the match it seemed that Zidane might make this final an affair to remember for himself and France. Sadly, it didn't quite turn out that way.
It was a hard-fought game over 120 minutes with neither side showing the finesse and skill associated with them but both unrelenting in their ambition to win the title.
The game got off to a rousing start with Zidane scoring off a penalty in the seventh minute, but his joy was short-lived as Italy equalised in the 19th minute through a spectacular header by Marco Materazzi off a corner.
Both teams had their moments, but till full time neither could get clear superiority. In extra time too the tenor of play was hardly different though France did try to open up the game with long passes.
Ultimately, it lead to a situation neither team would have wanted, but with Zidane, Thierry Henry and Franck Ribery all off the field, France were clearly handicapped for experience during the shootout.
David Trezeguet, who came in for Henry, had the mortification of seeing his shot hit the bar. That was just the gap Italy needed to win the Cup for a fourth time. For Zidane, it was a disappointing end to a great tournament. Perhaps, a reminder of mortality.
