A marvellous match was deadlocked at 0-0 after 90 minutes and extra time also looked unlikely to separate the two sides after the Azzurri struck the woodwork twice.

But then in the last two minutes Italy made the breakthrough, with a 119th-minute strike from Fabio Grosso and an Alessandro Del Piero chip in the 120th.

The defeat was especially hard on Ballack, who had missed the 2002 final against Brazil because of suspension.

"It just is not meant to be for me," said the midfielder who has just joined Chelsea from Bayern Munich. "It is very bitter for us to get eliminated like this, one minute from time. It is bitter but not undeserved.

"We started out rather slowly but did a much better job in the second half," added Ballack.

"The game was well-balanced. The Italians had the better chances in extra-time as they hit woodwork twice. But we also had some good opportunities afterwards, with the header (from Lukas Podolski)."

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