Zidane explains head butt incident

Associated Press ^ | 7/12/2006 | Associated Press

[winner3000]

PARIS - French soccer star Zinedine Zidane apologized for head-butting an Italian opponent during the World Cup final, saying Wednesday that he was provoked by insults about his mother and sister.

"I apologize, to all the children" who watched the match Sunday, Zidane said in his first, highly-awaited comments about the act of violence that marked the end of his career.

Zidane did not specify exactly what Italian defender Marco Materazzi said that enraged him, but that it was insulting to his sister and mother.

"I would rather have taken a punch in the jaw than have heard that," Zidane said, stressing that Materazzi's language was "very harsh."

Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack in extra-time. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Zidane was sent off, reducing France to 10 men. Italy went on to win in a penalty shootout.

The France captain said he felt no regret for his act, "because that would mean (Materazzi) was right to say all that."

At nearly the same moment Zidane was appearing on French TV, excerpts from an interview that Materazzi gave to Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport were posted on the newspaper's Web site.

"I didn't say anything to him about racism, religion or politics," Materazzi told the Gazzetta. "I didn't talk about his mother either. I lost my mother when I was 15 and even now I still get emotional talking about her. Naturally, I didn't know his (mother) was in the hospital, I give her my best wishes."

"He's always been my hero, I admire him a lot."

For days, sports fans around the world have been riveted by the question: What could Materazzi have said to set Zidane off? Media from Brazil to Britain hired lip readers to try to figure it out, then came up with different answers.

Materazzi has acknowledged he insulted Zidane, without giving specifics.

Materazzi spoke to Zidane in Italian. Zidane, who played for several years at Turin club Turin, speaks Italian.

Despite the head-butt, Zidane was awarded the Golden Ball award for best player at the World Cup — though FIFA president Sepp Blatter has suggested Zidane could be stripped of the honor.

"The winner of the award is not decided by FIFA, but by an international commission of journalists," Blatter said in Italian newspaper La Repubblica. "That said, FIFA's executive committee has the right, and the duty, to intervene when faced with behavior contrary to the ethics of the sport."

In France, many have already pardoned Zidane, even without his explanation. A poll published Tuesday in Le Parisien newspaper showed that 61 percent of the 802 people questioned forgave Zidane.

[gaijin]

People need to ask him, "Why did you claim you'd been called a TERRORIST? Was it because you knew if you made that claim, it would make it seem that YOU were the aggrieved party...?"

"Are there times when OTHER Arabs you know have done this..? What can we ask Arabs to do differently, so this doesn't recurr?"

[Southack]

Zidane is more popular in France *after* his head-butt than is Chirac after the waves of car fire-bombings.

It's just a fact.

[safeasthebanks]

It's difficult to imagine an intelligent statement being associated with kjam22, but that's just me.

[SF Republican]

Zidane is a real looser - no he is not; he is/was one of the greatest soccer players ever. It is interesting that everyone is so anxious to cast stones; maybe if you had 2 billion people watching you work you would not act as everyone of them would think you should.

[soccer_maniac]

video clip of the incident

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1i_l0OeeMc

[Constantine XIII]

Zidane owns Fidel Castro: http://zidaneownsfidelcastro.ytmnd.com/

France Fighter II Turbo: http://francefighter.ytmnd.com/

Zidane saves Mazzerati's life (featuring viking sniper kitten): http://zidanesavesmaterazzi.ytmnd.com/

Zidane vs. Deathstar: http://zidanedeathstar.ytmnd.com/

[GSWarrior]

What a bunch of drama queens...these futbol players!

[joeystoy]

Nothing is more humiliating to a Muslim man than (fill in the blank).

[Neville72]

Man responsible for Castro's death outed


http://www.babalublog.com/archives/headbutt.gif


Zidane redeems himself! Vive la france!

[Constantine XIII]

Whoops! Now the links work!
_____________________________

Zidane owns Fidel Castro: http://zidaneownsfidelcastro.ytmnd.com/

France Fighter II Turbo: http://francefighter.ytmnd.com/

Zidane saves Mazzerati's life (featuring viking sniper kitten): http://zidanesavesmaterazzi.ytmnd.com/

Zidane vs. Deathstar: http://zidanedeathstar.ytmnd.com/

[SF Republican]

He is not an Arab.

[Hurricane Andrew]

Funny thing is, in two World Cups, he's been tossed out of or missed entirely due to suspension a total of 6 matches. He was tossed in '98 for stomping on the back of a Saudi player, then suspended for the next two matches. Earlier this year, he was tossed after receiving two yellows, and was suspended the following game. Then the incident in the final. He also had an earlier head-butt incident this year in non-WC play. This guy has ALWAYS had a temper, and the coddling media was afraid to call him out on it. Instead, they made him sound like the ambassador to world for Soccer and role model to be revered.

How many of us who have played sports, even at a high school level, have heard all sorts of trash talk? You don't even have to play, just watch a football or basketball game on TV, or sit near the field/court and you'd hear some things that would likely have driven Zidane to pull out a gun. There is no excuse for what Zidane did. It was just stupid.

[kjam22]

:) I guess you took my soccer statement kinda personal? I hope your soccer ability isn't your measuring stick for a successful life. :)

[MPJackal]

"The France captain said he felt no regret for his act"

Oh, well in that case, apology accepted.

[Rummyfan]

He should have expected dirty tricks from the Italian side, and been smart enough not to fall for them. It should have been obvious to him as the match went on that the Italian side would feel themselves incapable of defeating France even up, and would resort to whatever was necessary to place themselves at a comparative advantage.

I don't know about that. The ref gave France a goal with the bogus penalty call, and disallowed another Italian goal on a very debatable off-sides call.

[safeasthebanks]

And I really hope your IQ isn't yours!!!

[Remole]

Another angle in this incident is Zidane's miss of a sure header in the first OT. Nine times out of 10 that's a goal. And if you saw his reaction after Buffon's great save, you saw pure rage. And who did score for Italy, on a header? Materazzi.

[Alberta's Child]

I once played hockey with a guy who previously played in the same amateur league in New York City as Tim Robbins (the actor, who's a pretty serious hockey fan).

Whenever his team played Robbins' team, this guy's job was to chase Robbins all over the ice and make rude comments about Susan Sarandon until Robbins lost his cool and ended up in the penalty box. Listening to him describe the chain of events was one of the funniest experiences of my hockey career . . .

"Hey, Timmy . . . When you see Susan tonight tell her I had a great time."

(no response)

"Hey, Timmy . . . You better quit now and get home to Susan as fast as you can tonight, or I'm gonna get there first."

(no response)

"Hey, Timmy . . . If I go over your house one more time and there ain't enough bags to cover that ugly b!tch's head while I'm #%&#ing here, I'm gonna beat the sh!t outta you!"

(Robbins turns around and slashes him with his stick, then gets sent to the penalty box for a five-minute major penalty. My friend's team scores the winning goal with Robbins in the penalty box.)

You can't make this up. LOL!

[kjam22]

hey no problem.... I'm not the one that associates "greatness" with running around kicking a ball. :)