France captain Zinedine Zidane has won the World Cup's Golden Ball, despite being sent off in the final in Berlin for head-butting Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest in the second period of extra-time.

The prestigious award for the player of the tournament was voted for by journalists before Zidane saw red in his final game before retiring at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

The 34-year-old French playmaker, who had fired Les Bleus in front with a seventh-minute penalty before Materazzi headed the Azzuri level 12 minutes later, picked up 2,012 points to beat off Italians Fabio Cannavaro (1,977) and Andrea Pirlo (715) to the prize.

Despite his indiscretion, Zidane, who was in tears after his glorious career ended with a World Cup final red card, will still be regarded as one of the game's greatest players having inspired France to success at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

Fifa has insisted that video replays played no part in his sending-off for the off-the-ball incident which was missed by Argentinian match referee Horacio Elizondo but spotted by the Spanish fourth official Luis Medina Cantalejo.

Zidane's agent has claimed the head-butt was "provoked" by a comment from Materazzi. While Alain Migliaccio told reporters he did not know what Materazzi said, he confirmed that the French playmaker, the French-born son of Algerian immigrants, would reveal all soon.

Migliaccio said: "He was very sad for everything that happened but this is life. He is a human being not a god.

"I know Zizou (Zidane) well and even though he hasn't told me exactly what Materazzi said, I know that he was provoked.

"Materazzi said something very grave to him, I don't know what it was. I know Zizou well and he will not reveal what Materazzi said to him but he will in one or two days' time explain why he had such a reaction.

"When he is calmer he will speak. When I saw him at 2am he was very sad, he didn't want to end his career like this.

"He was simply very sad. He is a person that doesn't say much but bottles it up and then one day explodes."

French president Jacques Chirac, who hosted a dinner for Raymond Domenech's squad on their return to Paris, has been quick to offer Zidane his support.

Mr Chirac said: "France love you and admire you. You have made us experience an unforgettable moment in the past month by allowing us to reach a second World Cup final in eight years...

"Dear Zinedine, in such a hard and intense moment for you, I would like to express the whole nation's affection and admiration for you. You are a virtuoso, a genius of football and an exceptional human being. That is why France admires you."

Les Bleus boss Domenech, who saw his men lose 5-3 on penalties, said of the way in which the curtain came down on Zidane's career in the World Cup final in Berlin: "It's sad to have a great player leaving the pitch in that way, getting sent-off.

"He has played a great World Cup. He has been ever-present. I would have preferred to have taken him off myself but I did not expect it to end that way.

"I don't know what Materazzi said. All I know is that the man-of-the-match was not (Andrea) Pirlo but Materazzi. He scored the equaliser and had Zidane sent-off. He really put on a great show when he fell down."

Zidane had given France the lead from the penalty spot seven minutes into the 18th World Cup final after Materazzi had tripped Florent Malouda.

But the Azzurri defender restored parity 12 minutes later heading home Andrea Pirlo's inviting corner - with no further goals a penalty shoot-out was needed which Marcello Lippi's men 5-3.

This is not the first time Zidane's temper has blown on the pitch - he was sent off in the 1998 World Cup for stamping on a Saudi Arabia player and, as a Juventus player, he was once banned for five Champions League games when he head-butted an opponent.

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