ZIDANE’S ’06 HEADBUTT

in Take Me Back Tuesday by Itai — March 24, 2010 at 6:10 pm | 1 comment

During the 2006 World Cup final match, the French went head-to-head against the Italians… literally.

Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest footballers of all-time, no doubt about it.  In 1998 he led France to a World Cup title and later a Euro title in 2000.  Not to mention that he helped Real Madrid come away with a 2002 UEFA Champions League crown.  He is one of just two players who have ever been awarded the FIFA World Player of the Year Award on three separate occasions.

Zidane went out with a bang after being ejected from the ’06 World Cup match following his headbutt to Italian defender Marco Materazzi after Materazzi had made highly offensive remarks about Zidane’s family.

While jogging down the field in the 110th minute of a 1-1 tie game, Materazzi made his remarks and Zidane quickly did a 180-degree turn to drive his bald crown into the Italians chest, dropping him like a sack of potatoes.

“Zidane being sent off changed everything,” France coach Raymond Domenech said.  “Even in extra time the Italian team was waiting for only one thing, and that was penalties.”

However, Zidane recently came out and said he that “would rather die” than apologize to Materazzi for the headbutt in the final.

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