Zinedine Zidane won the Golden Ball award for the World Cup's best player, despite being dismissed for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the final. France captain Zidane polled 2,012 points in the vote by journalists mostly carried out at half-time. The midfielder, 34, beat Italians Fabio Cannavaro (1,977 points) and Andrea Pirlo (715 points) in the ballot. He scored a penalty early on in the final but was sent off in extra time as France went on to lose on penalties. The former international player of the year and 1998 World Cup winner announced last month that he was retiring from football after the tournament. On Sunday, he put France ahead from the spot in the opening minutes but was sent off after slamming his head into Materazzi's chest during the tense second period of extra time, which ended 1-1. It was to be his last act as a professional player and, with the French missing his prowess in the ensuing penalty shootout, Italy went on to claim the World Cup title. BBC sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar was in Berlin to see the game and the vote. "The vast majority of those votes were cast by journalists before the final was over and that I'm sure is why Zidane has come out top," Farquhar told BBC Radio Five Live. "But it's going to be a bit embarrassing for FIFA - the man who got sent off in the final for a completely unacceptable foul against another player is the guy who's been chosen by journalists as the man of the tournament. "The reason the journalists voted for Zidane was this great emotional thing -- everybody knew it was his last tournament and the final was his last game of football ever -- but most people were dumbfounded to see what he did on Sunday. "If you'd asked the 2,012 journalists -- who voted for him -- after the game whether they wanted to change their vote, they probably would have." But disappointed fans paid tribute to Zidane and refused to blame him for their team's World Cup final defeat by Italy after he was sent off for head-butting an opponent. The Avenue des Champs Elysees in Paris, the traditional theatre for displays of national joy, was cast as Heartache Avenue as thousands of sad Les Bleus fans milled around the celebrated thoroughfare in dazed silence. Four women sat outside one bar in the capital's historic Latin Quarter with tears streaking the red, white and blue national flags painted on their faces as defeat, and the prospect of footballing life after Zidane, sank in. "It's a very sad exit for Zidane," said Vincent Schneider, 24, after watching the game in Paris's Latin Quarter. "He was the major actor in the World Cup. He was under too much pressure." Zidane's dismissal in extra-time ensured he missed a tense penalty shootout which Italy won 5-3 and killed hopes of a fairytale ending to a glittering career. However for his fans, from President Jacques Chirac downwards, the talismanic playmaker known as 'Zizou' remains a footballing icon. "I don't know what happened, why he was punished," said Chirac, who was in Berlin for the final. "But I would like to express all the respect that I have for a man who represents at the same time all the most beautiful values of sport, the greatest human qualities one can imagine, and who has honoured French sport and, simply, France." The playmaker had given France the lead with a chipped penalty in the seventh minute before Italy drew level 12 minutes later when Materazzi headed the equaliser. "What a shame for Zidane. What an awful way to go out," said Karim Amri, 29. Despite seeing red, fans said Zidane was guaranteed a place in the French pantheon of national heroes. "He remains the legend in football for me," said Metin Akturk, 31. "I think he was insulted, and he just can't take insults," Asked if the France captain's dismissal was the turning point in the game, he answered: "No, it was written that way." Paris-based French-Italians savoured their team's triumph. "At last, at last. This is massive. We deserved it. I'm off to the Champs Elysee, we're going to celebrate for four years," shouted civil servant Enzo Facchini, 37. France drafted in 12,000 police to ensure order at public showings of the game and only minor, isolated incidents were reported in Paris where police said 100,000 people took to the streets after the match. Chirac, who was due to host the national team for lunch at his Elysees Palace residence, said the players and coaching staff should be proud of their achievement. "I imagine they will be sad. They have no reason to be sad. They have done something extraordinary, which has gripped the whole of France, which is admirable in all respects," he said. "They all have reasons to be proud of what they have done and proud of themselves, irrespective of a problem of chance." Other players on the Golden Ball shortlist included Maniche (Portugal), Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy), Thierry Henry (France), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Patrick Vieira (France) and Miroslav Klose (Germany). Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn won the prestigious award in 2002, while other previous winners include Brazilians Ronaldo (1998) and Romario ('94), Italy's Salvatore Schillaci ('90) and Argentine great Diego Maradona.
