The match, deadlocked at 1-1, ended in high drama with Zinedine Zidane's extra time sending off for a head butt on Marco Materazzi, with Italy taking the title 5-3 on penalties.

Italy defender Fabio Grosso converted the decisive penalty after substitute David Trezeguet hit the upright with his side's second spot-kick.

"To go out on penalties is hard to accept. No one expected us to get so far," said Henry.

"We'd started the competition from so far off the pace that to make it to the final isn't bad at all," added the Arsenal striker.

"We end on a sour note but we can be satisfied with what we've done together.

"It's a huge disappointment but we've got to pick ourselves up and build on what we've done at the World Cup."

"I'm very proud. We won together and we lost together, that's what we've got to remember."

Henry insisted his overall performance in Germany with three goals to his name has silenced those who claimed he was more effective for his club than his country.

"I've been heavily attacked for not showing an example to my team but I believe I've proved here that I was a leader."

Trezeguet said he took full blame for his miss against his Juventus teammate Gianluigi Buffon.

"I don't think I did a bad penalty, it's important to take your responsibilities.

"You have to accept defeat, that's part of football. We dominated the game but unfortunately it went to penalties."

"It is true I know Buffon well, but I didn't change my style of taking penalties because of that," said Trezeguet, who was rarely used by coach Raymond Domenech during the tournament.

"I said to Buffon that we will see each other again on our holidays."

On Zidane's loss of temper the striker added: "After what Zidane's done for the national team you have to say thank you and bravo."

Teammate William Gallas believed that even with Zidane out of the picture France could still have pulled off what would have been a remarkable triumph eight years after their first World Cup title.

"After Zidane's red card we knew we could still put them in danger. Even with him off we really wanted to win and not leave in defeat.

"But unfortunately it didn't work out, it's a pity as everyone could see we were better than them," the Chelsea star said.

Gallas' fellow defender Willy Sagnol reckoned France had a lot to be positive about on the strength of how the team performed over the past four weeks.

"I hope that what we've done up to the final is going to give us a good base for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

"If we keep the same spirit we should be okay."

Sagnol paid tribute to Zidane, Lilian Thuram and Claude Makelele who are all retiring from international football after having come back out of it last year to help France qualify.

"I say thank you to them for what they've done but now we've got to try and get by without them."

Thuram criticised the role played by the fourth official in Zidane's sending off as it was only after he was consulted that the referee who appeared to miss the incident pulled out a red card.

"I think it was the fourth official who said Zidane had headbutted Materazzi and I find that decision strange.

"I know something was said by Materazzi but I don't know what."

France's most capped player, who was the bedrock of the France defence at the World Cup, will discover along with Trezeguet and the rest of the Juventus players this week whether the Italian champions are to be relegated over the Serie A match fixing scandal.

Asked about his future Thuram replied: "I'm going on holiday and don't know which division Juventus will be playing in next season."