BERLIN, July 9: Italy beat France 5-3 on penalties in the World Cup final after the two teams finished level at 1-1 after extra time in a dramatic encounter in which French playmaker Zinedine Zidane was sent off.

David Trezeguet hit the bar with his spot kick and the decisive penalty was scored by Fabio Grosso.

Zidane had given France the lead from the penalty spot as early as the seventh minute but Italian defender Marco Materazzi equalised with a header just 12 minutes later.

Zidane was shown the red card in the 111th minute after he head-butted Materazzi in the chest in an off-the-ball incident not seen by the referee. After fierce protests by the Italians, the referee consulted his linesman and sent Zidane off.

Zidane was sent off in the second period of extra-time of the final in what he has said will be the last match of his career. He appeared to have reacted to something Materazzi said, taking several steps towards the Italian before lunging at him with his head.

Referee Horacio Elizondo — who sent off England’s Wayne Rooney in their quarter-final with Portugal — consulted with linesman Dario Garcia, who had flagged the incident, and was left with no option but to send him off.

He is the fourth player to be sent off in a World Cup final, Argentinian duo Pedro Monzon and Gustavo Dezotti being red carded in the 1990 final and France’s Marcel Desailly in the 1998 edition.—Agencies