Soccer-Trezeguet ends rollercoaster career with France

By Diane Falconer

PARIS, July 9 (Reuters) - Striker David Trezeguet, who ended his France career on Wednesday, hit the heights and plumbed the depths of international football.

Trezeguet, 30, scored the golden goal that gave France victory over Italy in the final of Euro 2000. But his miss in the World Cup final penalty shootout two years ago helped the Italians avenge that defeat.

The scorer of 34 goals in 71 internationals, third on his country's all-time list behind Thierry Henry and Michel Platini, Trezeguet's international career was all-but ended when he was left out of France's Euro 2008 squad by coach Raymond Domenech.

Trezeguet had an uneasy relationship with Domenech, who was told last week he could stay in the job, despite a group stage exit and a dismal performance at Euro 2008.

Without Trezeguet, France finished bottom of Group C with just one goal and one point from three matches.

"The awful Euro and the confirmation of the coach led me to this irreversible decision", he told reporters at Juve's pre-season training retreat on Wednesday.

Trezeguet, part of France's 1998 World Cup winning squad, had become a peripheral player since Domenech took charge in 2004.

His miss in the 2006 World Cup final penalty shootout and his inability to play alongside first choice Henry, along with the emergence of Olympique Lyon striker Karim Benzema, pushed him further down the pecking order.