Slovakia's Jan Durica (2nd L) Martin Skrtel (2nd R) and Radoslav Zabavnik (R) celebrate defeating Italy in the 2010 World Cup Group F soccer match at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg June 24, 2010. [Agencies]

Italy's Fabio Quagliarella (L) is comforted by team mate Morgan De Sanctis (C) at the end of their 2010 World Cup Group F soccer match against Slovakia at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg June 24, 2010. [Agencies]

LIPPI'S FAREWELL

The defeat brought a sad end to Marcello Lippi's time as Italy coach and the international careers of captain Fabio Cannavaro and gritty midfielder Gennaro Gattuso. The performance of 36-year-old Cannavaro, their hero in 2006 but well off the pace here, summed up the decline of the team.

Lippi was persistently attacked by the Italian press before the World Cup for relying too much on the old guard and was quick to admit his mistakes.

"If a team turns up at such an important game like tonight with terror in their heart and their legs and is unable to express its ability, it's because the coach didn't train the team as he should," the ashen-faced coach said.

Gattuso joined the self-condemnation. "When we won the World Cup we all got given national medals of honor. Now they'll give us medals of shame, which is right," he told reporters.

Paraguay did not show the fire and flair that has characterized Latin American teams so far but their 0-0 draw with New Zealand was enough to leave them top of the group.

The All Whites exit with heads high after three draws in a World Cup where many had forecast they would be whipping boys.

"A lot of people thought we shouldn't be here and that we had amateurs who were not up to it," said coach Ricki Herbert. "But I think that's dead and buried now."

Italy's failure, including two draws prior to Thursday's loss, follows the spectacular flop of 2006 runners-up France.

France's team arrived home on Thursday with a heavy police guard to national disgust at both their miserable performance and an unseemly players' revolt.

President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered a shake-up of French soccer and met team captain Thierry Henry as soon as he arrived back from South Africa.

Of six African nations in the continent's first World Cup, four are out, Ivory Coast need a miracle to qualify from their group, and only Ghana have secured a second round berth.

Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou said the raised expectations of playing on home soil had hurt the Africans.

"The pressure has caused us more stress than anything else and even inhibited our talents," he said.

To prevent the local atmosphere deflating, South Africa plans a "million flag march" next week to inspire the population to stay with the tournament.