Lippi: This is the most satisfying moment of my life

ITALY coach Marcello Lippi said winning the World Cup was the most satisfying moment of his life.

“I have to say thanks to the players,” said Lippi. “This is the most satisfying moment of my life. We are very happy.

“I dedicate the victory to my family. The players have unlimited heart, character and personality,” he said.

Asked how he felt, a delighted Lippi added: “The greatest satisfaction that any coach or footballer can feel. I’ve had the fortune to win the Champions League — a kind of world title for clubs — and lots of Serie A titles but I’ve never felt anything like this.”

Meanwhile, French coach Raymond Domenech said he understands key man Zinedine Zidane’s loss of control which led to his dramatic sending-off before their World Cup final defeat on penalties.

The French captain, who was playing his final competitive match at 34, opened the scoring but lost his cool in extra-time and butted Marco Materazzi and was sent off with the score at 1-1 with about 10 minutes to play.

“There are moments, when you take blows for 80 minutes, I’m not saying I’m excusing it but I can understand,” Domenech said last night.

The loss of their talisman and playmaker cost the French dearly as they lost momentum and their best penalty-taker.

They lost the shoot-out 5-3, giving Italy their fourth World Cup title. “We missed Zinedine Zidane a lot in the last 10 minutes. His absence weighed heavily on the match,” Domenech continued.

“Yes, we can say that Zidane being sent off was the killing moment of the game. Especially in extra-time — the Italian team were obviously waiting for the penalty shoot-out.”

The French coach continued: “We can only be disappointed, not by our run but by the final match and the way it ended. Really, from the game we played, we would have deserved to win.

“I’ve said it from the start, only victory is pretty. There will always be something missing. You can say what we did wasn’t bad but it’s Italy who are the champions.”

France’s 1998 World Cup-winning coach Aime Jacquet told Canal Plus TV: “A penalty shoot-out is always a lottery. I’m deeply disappointed because I was expecting a goal for France at any moment. Zizou’s sending off was a terrible moment.

“They gave it all they had, physically and mentally. Maybe he [Zidane] was provoked. It’s awful to see him leave that way because I sincerely believed he would lift that trophy.”