CNN.com - World Cup winner Lippi quits Italy

Lippi's reputation as a master tactician was enhanced in Germany.

ROME, Italy -- World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi resigned on Wednesday, three days after guiding his team to victory over France in the final in Berlin.

I believe that I have achieved what I set out to achieve as coach of the Italian team," Lippi said in a statement issued by the Italian football federation.

Lippi took charge of the Azzurri in 2004 when he succeeded Giovanni Trapattoni after their exit from the group stages of the European championships.

His two years as coach have been marked by almost continuous success with just two defeats in friendly internationals.

"At the end of an extraordinary professional and human experience, experienced as the head of an exceptional group of players ... I believe my role is over as the guide of the Italian national team," Lippi added.

Italian team captain Fabio Cannavaro paid tribute to Lippi saying that he had been a key factor in the team's drive towards glory in Germany.

"We can only thank the man and the coach Marcello Lippi for the perfect work he put in and for the manner in which he managed the team in what were, at times, trying circumstances," he said on his personal Web site.

Lippi is expected to return to club football after guiding Italy to a triumph that few had predicted with the country embroiled in a match-fixing scandal which threatens the future of several leading Serie A teams and their players.

While he is not under investigation, Lippi was questioned by prosecutors before the World Cup about alleged pressure he received to select certain players for Italy's national team.

His son Davide Lippi is under investigation for his work at player agency GEA World.

The coach reacted angrily to suggestions that he should quit his job before the World Cup and had some heated exchanges with reporters during the tournament.

Italian football federation vice president Giancarlo Abete told Associated Press that Lippi had told him during the round-of-16 stage that he intended to quit regardless of his team's performance.

The 58-year-old won five Serie A titles and a Champions League trophy during his two spells with Juventus from whom he parted company shortly before accepting the job as Italy coach.

Lippi's resignation had been widely predicted and media speculation is linking former players like Roberto Donadoni or Gianluca Vialli to the job as well as the coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

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