Dino Zoff: Resigns (MThompson/Allsport)

Faced with the challenge of adding Zinedine Zidane's world champions to his already impressive list of Euro 2000 victims, the Italy manager prefaced Sunday night's final by insisting: 'The game has moved on. The traditional midfield general is not the all-important player he used to be.'

Zidane, of course, is the midfield maestro who has electrified this tournament by dictating the progress of France towards what they believe to be their destiny - becoming the first holders of the World Cup to win the European Championship.

One more Zidane display similar to the bewitching exhibitions he has given against Spain and Portugal in the past seven days and Zoff's pet theory will explode in his face.

That prospect does not unduly trouble Italy's 1982 World Cup-winning skipper, not after he has succeeded in spoiling the party for both Belgium and Holland.

Like the majority of coaches at these championships - the now conspicuously-absent Kevin Keegan excepted - Zoff arrived in the Low Countries fully expecting to stand or fall on his success or failure in Euro 2000.

That is why he said: 'None of the criticism bothers me. I ignore it. We know that, in the end, only one thing counts and that is the performance.'

By reaching this final, Zoff has surpassed his country's gloomy expectations. With France absolutely reliant on Zidane, he sees the chance of confounding his critics completely.

Of Zidane, whom he regularly watches ply his genius with Juventus, Zoff said: 'He is a wonderful player but football no longer revolves around one man.

'There are Italian players of a similar kind and I have been criticised for not bringing one or two of them to this tournament.

'But the modern game demands a team of players who can share in the creative work. If one man is closed down another must drive the team, then, perhaps, another.

'This is a game of collective responsibility and dedication to the team ethic.'

Those were the qualities which carried 10-man Italy through the toils of extra-time against the powerful Dutch on Thursday night, a defensive classic in which Zoff was willing to let his nominal play-maker Demetrio Albertini burn himself out and then substitute him.

For France, to play one minute without Zidane would be unthinkable. Hence the outstanding player of Euro 2000 must expect Zoff's Italy to devise some means of curbing his influence.

Nobody does it better. Thursday in Amsterdam came as a comprehensive reminder to the rest of Europe that the Italians are the past-masters of defence.

Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta have been such revelations here that captain Paolo Maldini has come to cherish the hope of finally winning his first honour for his country in the week of his 32nd birthday.

'I've won virtually everything with Milan yet nothing with Italy,' said Maldini, who earns his 111th cap tomorrow, one short of Zoff's Italian record.

'We have come close often during my time but have always let it slip. I live in hope. If this is to be my last chance, I have to believe I can take it.'

It is an aspiration he has in common with his French contemporary Laurent Blanc, another lion of a defender who was so sadly deprived of a final place in France '98 following Slaven Bilic's theatrics and who, at 35 and about to retire from the international game, also wants to climax his career with a medal.

While this has been a festival of attacking football, Italy recognise defending as both art and science and its masters are rewarded accordingly.

Maldini is worshipped in the hard and holy succession to such luminaries as Facchetti, Baresi, Gentile and Scirea.

As for Cannavaro, he has just purchased a yacht from the Italian president which is waiting in the Bay of Naples to take him and his family sailing to Capri and Ischea next week.

First, he will attend to tomorrow's business, recognising that for all their flair, the French are also based on a power-house defence - Thuram, Blanc, Desailly and Lizarazu - which has never yet been defeated as a unit.

The French spent their extra rest day watching Italy's protracted struggle for survival, happy in the contemplation of how much it had to be taking out of their opponents.

But as others have discovered to their cost, it is unwise to take anything for granted with these Italians.

The spirit in the camp is rooted in unselfishness and a modesty which would become a few of England's prima donnas.

As all the acclaim continued to pour down on Francesco Toldo, he was asked how he had managed to save three of Holland's six penalties, one of the two they missed in regulation play and two of the three with which the Dutch failed in the shoot-out.

'I have no idea,' he confessed. 'I am not even Italy's best goalkeeper. I think I'm a good goalkeeper but I play in the era of the great Gianni Buffon.'

That said, the man who has been beaten only twice in open play in five matches, dedicated his two hours of greatest glory to the compatriot who fractured his arm in training on the eve of Euro 2000.

Then Toldo made ready to raise the barriers again tomorrow encouraged in the knowledge that his boss is formulating a plan for minimising the superlative individual talent which is indispensable to the French.

Zidane endured his least effective and most frustrated hour when man-marked by the Czech Republic, who as a consequence stretched France to the limit.

Now, after coming through all the alarms and dramas to reach this final, Zidane said: 'A lucky star is shining upon us.'

Maybe so. But when the stars come out here tomorrow night, he is likely to find one of Italy's stellar defenders sticking to him.

France (4-3-1-2): Barthez; Thurham, Desailly, Blanc, Lizarazu; Vieira, Deschamps, Petit; Zidane; Henry, Anelka.

Italy: (3-5-2): Toldo; Cannavaro, Nesta, Iuliano; Pessotto, Di Baggio, Albertini, Fiore, Maldini; Del Piero, Inzaghi.

Referee: Anders Frisk (Sweden).