World Cup: Materazzi Admits He Insulted Zidane

The Indy Channel ^ | July 11, 2006 | AP

[Abathar]

MILAN, Italy -- Marco Materazzi acknowledged he insulted Zinedine Zidane before the French captain head-butted him in the World Cup final, but repeated his denial that he called Zidane a "terrorist."

"I did insult him, it's true," Materazzi said in Tuesday's Gazzetta dello Sport. "But I categorically did not call him a terrorist. I'm not cultured and I don't even know what an Islamic terrorist is."

A Paris-based anti-racism group issued a statement Monday saying Materazzi had called Zidane, whose parents emigrated to France from Algeria, a "dirty terrorist."

Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words in extra-time of Sunday's final in Berlin. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground. Zidane was ejected from the match.

"I held his shirt for a few seconds only, then he turned round and spoke to me, sneering," the Italian defender told the newspaper. "He looked me up and down, arrogantly and said: 'If you really want my shirt, I'll give it to you afterwards."'

The 32-year-old Inter Milan player did not elaborate on exactly what he said to Zidane.

"It was one of those insults you're told tens of times and that always fly around the pitch," he said.

Also Tuesday, Algeria's president defended Zidane and said soccer fans shouldn't condemn the French star.

"We are just human beings, our duty is not to judge, our duty is to understand," Abdelaziz Bouteflika said in London after meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

[Clemenza]

Zizou deserves a baseball bat to his legs. What a scumbag.

[Jameison]

"How many French League title did he win while playing for Cannes or Bordeaux? How many Serie A titles did he win while playing for Juventus? How many La Liga titles did he win in Spain while playing for Real Madrid? How many Champions League titles did he win while playing for these clubs? "

Why don't you tell me?
I am not going to equate a French League title or Serie A with the NBA title, not even a conference title.
I may be prepared to compare The European Champions league with the NBA title..if I am feeling charitable that is.
How many Champions League titles did Zidane win again?

"How many times did he receive World Player of the Year?"

MJ won the NBA finals MVP SIX times, that is World's Player of the year for you.
Zidane hasn't won World's Player of the Year six times.



"Soccer in the Olypics doesn't allow players like Zidane to play"

They do.

Just go ask Ronaldo, who was in the Brazilian team when Nigeria beat Brazil to capture the Olympic gold.


"He seemed to be playing at a higher level than Jordan at his last retirement"

MJ won two NBA's's after he came back, and SIX NBA rings altogether.
Again, how many Champions league titles has Zidane won?

[wmileo]

Good point.

[Tspud1]

As I said, I am not going to convince you but you are showing your lack of knowledge about other sports. The NBA title is NOT the world title. It the US championship. Our basketball teams have been an embarassment lately on the international stage. Why wouldn't the Serie A or the La Liga titles be the same as our NBA title. "The 1992 Barcelona Games proved to be the turning point in the Olympic soccer tournament, when the men's tournament was competed as an under-23 event for the first time." Would Jordan be able to play if these rules were followed in Olypic basketball. Each coach is allowed to add 3 overage players to the roster. Most clubs don't like their high priced players playing in these competition because the risk of injury. It would be a great idea for basketball to try the Champions League format. Baseball did it this year in the preseaseon. Not all the best players were there but the US lost that as well. We need to take international competition more serious. Most Cup titles are competitions between club teams from different countries and you have to be in the top of your league even to be invited.

[dfwgator]

I thought the Red Bulls were going after Beckham.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Such a weinie couldn't play in the NFL or NBA or college sports if he is sooo sensitive. He is now a laughingstock.

[Jameison]

"As I said, I am not going to convince you but you are showing your lack of knowledge about other sports"

You wanna bet?
What sport you talking about

"The NBA title is NOT the world title."

#1. Perhaps, you'll show me where I said it was in my posts.

# 2. While its not the official world champiosnhip, for all practical purposes, it is the preeminent championships in basketball by far.
# 3. The NBA finals MVP, IS invariably the best player on the planet. The SIX times MJ won the NBA finals MVP, he certainly was the best player on the planet.

"Our basketball teams have been an embarassment lately on the international stage"

Our team has lost only ONE Olympic gold since the Olympics allowed in professionals in 1992, and before that we won far more Olympic basketball golds than anyone else.
And when we didn't win the gold in 2004, we still won the bronze then.
Show me any European team that has a similar record at the Olympics/World Cup in soccer.

"Why wouldn't the Serie A or the La Liga titles be the same as our NBA title"

Because it's equivalent to an NBA conference title.
You want to talk NBA champions, then we are talking European Champions League champions.



""The 1992 Barcelona Games proved to be the turning point in the Olympic soccer tournament, when the men's tournament was competed as an under-23 event for the first time."


That was 16 years ago. Zidane could easily have played since then under this clause:

While professionals are allowed in the men’s tournament, rules restrict teams to players under 23 years old with the exception of three over-age players."

There are THREE over age players allowed, and Zidane could be one of them if he's as good as you claim.



"Would Jordan be able to play if these rules were followed in Olypic basketball"

Yes.
As one of the 3 exemptions.

"Most clubs don't like their high priced players playing in these competition because the risk of injury."

Tough.
We had the same problem here, and our even more high priced Michael Jordon still played in the Olympics and won the gold.

"It would be a great idea for basketball to try the Champions League format"

Champions League is between teams of similar abilities.
Who are the top America teams going to play against here (with all respect to Europe).

That would be like MLS teams joining the European Champions League.

[Jameison]

"Such a weinie couldn't play in the NFL or NBA or college sports if he is sooo sensitive"


Zidane would last exactly 5 seconds in the NFL.
Subsequently, he'd have to be carried of, a very broken man.

[TankerKC]

For someone who took the word "terrorist" as such an insult - he sure did act like one...

You must have a pretty broad definition of "terrorist." I've knocked a few folks on their butts over the years...I guess I'm a terrorist.

[TankerKC]

I know he's a muslim, and islam produces evil.

Yeah, but what explains fights in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR...

[TankerKC]

There is simply no one like Mike.

That's right. Everyone else has (had) to play by the rules. :)

[TankerKC]

Come to think of it, Zidane may be Jordan x 5.

Maybe, but who are you going to hire to do your commercials?

[Jameison]

"The depth and substance of that statement sums it up. You're clueless on this subject. "

Rubbish.
How many third world world/African countries have you lived in/worked in/played sports in again?
Bottom line : The two countries with the biggest populations on the planet, accounting for over 35% of the world's population haven' even played in the World Cup before. Ever.

On the other hand, the most populous country, China regularly plays in both the basketball World Cup, and at the Olympics basketball competition.

"and afterwards Michael made a telling statement that he considered Rossi to be as good or better athlete as any he's ever seen. Was does THAT tell ya? "

That you are as creative as Dan Rather?

[Paradox]

Zidane is a GREAT player, no doubt, the best of the best right now, however, Jordan was simply transcendent.

[Jameison]

"Hard to imagine a more baseless statement."

Facts hurt. But you are going to have to get used to it.

" Whose playing field is larger? "

The size of the playing field determines strength, fitness, sheer power, and athleticism , speed, skill and talent of the players?
Get back to me when you get back from Pluto will ya?

"Who plays longer matches? "

Depends on what you are doing during those "longer matches.
I have watched matches were players are out of serious action for long periods of time, even in this recent world cup.

Who runs more during the game? "

Not your soccer pansies

"Who periodically sits down for a rest and a refreshment in the middle of the game? "

Since the NBA matches are faster, high energy and more physically intensive, its fine for them to take time outs.

"Who plays outdoors under heat or rain, and who plays under A/C? ""

Poor you.
Playing under rain or the sun does not a superb athlete make.
It simply means soccer players get to head-butt someone when they get sun stroke
When did that become a sign of great athleticism?

"I could go on,"

Please do.
I am only just warming up.

" but by now your brain must be a-hurtin'.
Call your nurse."

Would it be too much to suggest you take your own advise?
This is on account of the clobbering you are about to start getting on here. :)

[Tspud1]

There is a quailifing process to get into the World Cup. If you are not good enough you don't go, hence no China or India.

[Jameison]

"There is a quailifing process to get into the World Cup. If you are not good enough you don't go, hence no China or India"

True.
But it goes to show soccer is not as prevalent in those 2 countries as the soccer supremacists would have us believe.
India for example is hooked on cricket.
That's like nearly one fifth of the human beings on the entire planet out of the soccer loop right there already.

Equally, basketball is very popular in China, and the Chinese know how to play it, and have regularly qualified for World and Olympic completions, something they have never done with soccer.

[2banana]

You must have a pretty broad definition of "terrorist." I've knocked a few folks on their butts over the years...I guess I'm a terrorist.

We are not talking a bar fight here with two red necks - this was a "sucker punch" on national TV to intentional hurt and intimidate the other team over some exchanged words in a internationally viewed soccer game...