So, now we know the answer—it's Italy that takes home the trophy. I hope they enjoy it.

To me, though, this will be the World Cup that collapsed under its own weight. Maybe it was FIFA's last-minute recommendations to referees to card at will; maybe it was the players' willingness to engage in gamesmanship at every opportunity, enhanced by the knowledge that it was easier than ever to get an opponent booked; but this year's tournament for me will always be tainted by those willing to seek any advantage they could, even if it really had nothing to do with playing soccer.

The final proved itself to be a great microcosm of the whole tournament. There was gamesmanship on both sides, starting with an early dive that led to a penalty kick for France. Italy proved to be much better at it, as is their habit and inclination. (It's no coincidence that the largest clubs in SerIe A are facing an enormous match-fixing scandal; cheating is part and parcel of the game there.) I wonder if we will ever learn what Materazzi said to Zidane that led the French captain to retaliate with a head butt? It's a shame that a player with a legacy as great as Zidane's will be capped by that moment of idiocy, as he charged like a bull into Materazzi's chest. Tragic.

It is a sad fact that people are so frequently willing to bend their own rules and disregard common decency when tempted with a large enough prize. Some players on both teams today showed that they considered the World Cup a prize worthy of that all-too-human failing.

I don't expect to hear sound philosophical admonitions from shoe company ad agencies but perhaps Nike had it right: please, for the sake of the game, Play Beautiful. Today was not beautiful.