It was an incredible end to a tumultuous final.

Playing his last game before retiring, Zinedine Zidane put France ahead early on with a coolly-taken chipped penalty, before Marco Materazzi levelled with a header from an Andrea Pirlo corner.

Things then turned ugly when Zidane was sent off for headbutting Materazzi after being verbally provoked.

Things remained level as the match went to penalties. Fabio Grosso scored the winning penalty after France’s David Trezeguet missed as Italy won 5-3 in penalties to hoist the World Cup for the fourth time.

1877: First ever Wimbledon tennis championship begins with only the men’s singles section.

1990: Kiwi legend Richard Hadlee takes five wickets (below) in his final effort with the ball in a Test, against England at Birmingham.

1991: The International Olympic Committee lifts a 21-year-long ban on South Africa, satisfied that the country had committed itself to abolishing discrimination in sports.