FRENCH football icon Zinedine Zidane finally came out and said on Wednesday on French television that he headbutted Italian player Marco Materazzi at the World Cup final in Germany on Sunday because of insults the player had made against Zidane’s mother and sister. He confirmed what an army of lip readers, employed first by Brazil’s Globo television to decipher the video clip of the incident, had already told us.
Materazzi has denied insulting Zidane’s mother, saying that since he lost his mother at the age of 15, he would never insult the mother of another person. That sounds like PR-spin to me, as 48 hours earlier I read the same thing when a close friend of the Italian player was interviewed and asked about the incident. Interestingly, the Italian has not yet denied insulting Zidane’s sister.
“I can’t say I have any regrets about what I did because that would be like admitting that he had every reason to say what he said,” said Zidane.
The French player did say that he regretted that millions of children around the world had to watch such violence.
I think Zidane just snapped under the enormous pressure of having to win the Cup for France, and Materrazzi probably deserved what he got.
Zidane has been punished enough by having gotten that red card and being sent out of the game. Now, FIFA is thinking of withdrawing the Player of the Tournament award that Zidane won on Monday. If FIFA does withdraw the award it will just seem cruel and petty.
I agree with you that World Cup brought out the best out of everyone. I have written something on my blog regarding how Croatian people unified together as one "team" in this World Cup.
You may check out: www.shashavica.blogspot.com
All the best to you!
shashavica
yes, if thats happen, its will extremely cruel for zidane.that italian player deservered that headbutt.
if fifa withdraws the award that sounds pretty much like cbcp shunning the impeachment process, telling that what materazzi did was okay, that it goes with the territory.
Zidane did whatever any man would have done. Just becoz its sports doesnt mean that an opponent can say anything!!! I dunno why FIFA is being so dumb!!! anyway, Zidane is among the legends of Pele, Maradona etc, and he will remain who he is.. a fantastic football player!!
In the long run, Materazzi will get what he deserves.
I hope Zidane decides to play for one more year. And to take away the award is tantamount to condoning Materazzi's conduct. If FIFA does not have its head up its ass, it will give Zizou the award, shake his hand, and take real steps to get racism out of the game.
Seems this is not the 1st time that Zidane has been red carded. Just another example of a gifted individual becoming a loser because he does not believe enough in himself to keep from reacting to another's taunting words. As the childhood saying goes: "sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me'. Seems he never learned his childhood lessons. Just another angry man who allows others to make him a loser. I feel sorry for him- he does not even realize that he had a choice to rise aboveit, act like qan adult and be a winner. choclosteve
Zidane's action was uncouth at best and a vicious attack at worst. I understand people snap but how they handle their momentary state of insanity is what counts in the end.
I was hoping that his removal from the game would bring him down to size a bit, but I guess it didn't. His unrepentant attitude adds insult to injury. What is he? 12?
Instead of regretting that "millions of children around the world had to watch such violence," he should have denounced that violence and told those millions that he should have never resorted to it to take care of a situation.
A responsible role model, which he sadly is, would have done that. But I guess his damage control strategy is as lousy as his reactions.
I find international soccer extremely boring, and to have a game decided by players flopping to the ground and then penalty kicks only makes me wonder why anyone bothers watching?