ITALY WON the World Cup for the fourth time yesterday when they beat France 5-3 on penalties after the teams finished level at 1-1 in a dramatic final that saw French captain Zinedine Zidane sent off in extra-time.

After David Trezeguet hit the bar with his spot kick the Italians kept their nerve to end their penalties curse with fullback Fabio Grosso converting the fifth and decisive kick.

Zidane, who opened the scoring with a penalty after seven minutes, was sent off nine minutes from the end of extra-time for a head butt into the chest of Marco Materazzi, who had equalised for Italy with a 19th-minute header.

It was certainly not the way Zidane would have wanted to end his glorious career but the Italians did not care.

Instead, it was Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro, exemplary again in his 100th international, who lifted the trophy to add to the Azzurri's successes of 1934, 1938 and 1982.

They have become the second most successful team in World Cup history after Brazil, who have won it five times.

"I have to say thanks to the players," said Italy coach Marcello Lippi. "This is the most satisfying moment of my life.

UNLIMITED HEART

"The players have unlimited heart, character and personality," he added. "We are very happy."

It had looked good for France early on and for long periods of the game when they looked the more creative side.

Their penalty came after Florent Malouda drove into the box and was felled by a clumsy challenge from Materazzi.

Zidane opted to nonchalantly chip his spot kick above the diving Gianluigi Buffon and the ball struck the bar before bouncing down behind the line to put France ahead.

The linesman signalled a goal and Zidane celebrated the first and only time an opponent had scored against Italy in the tournament. Previously they had conceded just one own goal.

Zidane, who headed two goals in the 1998 showpiece match, became only the fourth player to score three times in World Cup finals after Brazilian duo Vava and Pele and England's Geoff Hurst, who got a hat-trick in the 1966 final.

Italy equalised 12 minutes later when Materazzi atoned for his earlier misdemeanour by rising magnificently above Patrick Vieira to head home an Andrea Pirlo corner from the right.

It was the first time both teams had scored in the final in 20 years and Italy went close again in the 36th minute when striker Luca Toni headed against the bar from Pirlo's cross.

France started the second half full of running with their lone striker Thierry Henry, who was a frustrated, unused substitute in the 1998 final against Brazil, looking dangerous.

Fabien Barthez was beaten again in the 62nd minute by a Toni header which was ruled offside but France remained the more adventurous amid the tiredness as the error count rose.

EXTRA TIME

They could not force a way through, though, and the final went into an extra 30 minutes for the fifth time.

Zidane could have finished the night as a two-goal hero, just as he was eight years ago, when he forced a spectacular save from Buffon after 105 minutes as he met Willy Sagnol's cross with a stunning header.