BERLIN - To the very end of his career, Zinedine Zidane could dictate the flow of play with rare skill and elegant control of the ball.

In the World Cup final, Zidane lost control of his temper.

The parting image for the France captain will forever be him rearing back in anger, lowering his head and launching his bald crown into the chest of Italy defender Marco Materazzi after the two exchanged words while walking down the field in extra time Sunday.

The game was tied 1-1 when Zidane was given a red card in the 110th minute. Without their sharpshooting captain, the French couldn’t unlock Italy’s defense and went on to lose in a shootout, 5-3.

“Zidane being sent off changed everything,” France coach Raymond Domenech said. “Even in extra time the Italian team was waiting for only one thing, and that was penalties.”

Domenech said he did not know what Materazzi said to Zidane.

“It’s regrettable,” Domenech said. “We regret it, he regrets it.”

The strike to the center of Materazzi’s chest was clearly intentional, and referee Horacio Elizondo of Argentina briefly consulted with his assistants before showing Zidane the 28th red card of the tournament, a World Cup record. The previous record of 22 red cards, set in 1998, was broken before the quarterfinals round began.

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“I have not seen the replays, but if it’s voluntary then there’s nothing you can say,” Domenech said. “But it’s a shame. It’s sad.”

Head bowed, Zidane walked past Domenech but did not look at him. As he exited into the tunnel, his head still bent to the ground, he strode past the golden World Cup trophy and disappeared.

Zidane, whose sparkling play led the French to the 1998 title and carried them much deeper into this tournament than expected, previously said he would quit the game at the end of the World Cup.

Earlier in Sunday’s match, he gave France a 1-0 lead with a seventh-minute penalty kick — his 31st goal for France and third in a World Cup final.

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Zidane was treated for what appeared to be a shoulder injury in the 80th minute; trainers took him off but he returned, holding his right arm awkwardly and wincing in pain.

Minutes before Zidane was sent off, France striker Thierry Henry was taken out in favor of Sylvain Wiltord. Early in the game, Henry bumped his head in a collision and crumpled to the ground, then went briefly to the sideline but returned.