JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Italy and France's miserable World Cup campaigns were complete on Thursday as they became the first finalists from the previous World Cup to exit at the first hurdle of the following one.
Champions Italy were eliminated after a stunning 3-2 defeat by Slovakia, and even finished bottom of the group below the rank outsiders New Zealand.
France, who lost on penalties to Italy in the final in Berlin in 2006, had exited on a suitably low note on Tuesday, bottom of their group like Italy, with a 2-1 defeat by hosts South Africa.
This is just sad for the 2, 2006 world cup finalists, i'm sure these early exists would be an eye opener for both the teams & they will try hard to become a better team.
Sad to see both got out so soon, they just couldn't get it together to well this early