Italian international striker Alessandro del Piero has admitted that he is pondering international retirement after the Azzurri were knocked out from the last 8 stage by Spain in Euro 2008 on Sunday night.

The Italians played a very much defensive football and managed to stretch the match to the penalty shoot-out stage. But then Anotonio Di Natale and Daniel De Rossi missed their respective spot-kicks and Spain went through to the last 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 0-0 after extra-time.

After the match the Juventus legend gave his thought on the match and hinted that he might not feature in the 2010 World Cup. Del Piero said:

t is the same disappointment and pain, no matter how many tournaments you go through,” said the Juventus skipper.

“It is a lottery on shoot-outs and unfortunately that is the problem with them. We won two years ago on penalties and this time went out, so we must not put any blame on De Rossi or Di Natale.

“There is a long road before the World Cup. I have the same desire to play for the Nazionale, but we’ll have to see what happens over the next two seasons.”