Zidane: Materazzi Insulted My Mother and Sister

So much for all the nasty speculation that a racist comment was made… Guess the Italians aren’t the filthy racists everyone seems to want them to be.

Regretting your response is not the same thing as saying he was right. Zidane is still being petty, and its odd no one will say exactly what Marco said.

They can both be wrong, and you should still regret headbutting someone in the middle of a game. a final. a world cup final. in overtime.

You’ll see Z will come up on top – it wasn’t right but Materazzi deserved it, maybe it’ll be awakening for futebol around the world.

“Guess the Italians aren’t the filthy racists everyone seems to want them to be.”

No one knows whether the insult to Zidane’s family was racist in nature or not. Given the behavior of the Italian fans (i.e. monkey chants, banana peels, etc), I’m not inclined to give a dirty cheat like Materazzi the benefit of the doubt.

“It was inexcusable. I apologise,” said the 34-year-old Zidane. “But I can’t regret what I did because it would mean that he was right to say all that.”

Materazzi responded by denying he said anything about Zidane’s mother.

“I didn’t mention anything about religion, politics or racism,” said the Italian on Wednesday.

FN
606: Have your say
“I didn’t insult his mother. I lost my mother when I was 15 years old and still get emotional when I talk about it.

“Naturally, I didn’t know that his mother was in hospital but I wish her all the best.

“Zidane is my hero and I have always admired him a lot.”

This is official news from BBC. Everyone has said that Materazzi is the one to BLAME. Do you guys possibly think that Zidane would want to end his career like that? He is the most modest of all WC players and by far the most talented. The Italian image is so tarnished, it seems rusted. FIFA is a disgrace. They were all for “SAY NO TO RACISM” when racism was clearly displayed by that disgusting Materazzi.

OMG I can’t believe he said “Zidane is my hero”. Yeah is that why he said all that horrible stuff to him? Italians are racist. Im glad the truth is starting to come out. Materazzi is one hell of a LIAR. FIFA should punish him or at least make a public speech about his disgusting racism. Materazzi GO TO HELL.

FRENCH WHINERS! That’s all I’ve been hearing….Zidane is a whiny coward. What an idiot? I’m sure he never heard trash talk! I’m sure he’s never used trash talk! I’m sure he’s totally innocent of all his past fouls, yellow cards, red cards…….gimme a break! The Azzuri won with an impenetrable defense. They should have won 1-0 if the ref really saw the dive by France in the box. FRENCH WHINERS! FORZA ITALIA

THE CULPRIT ALWAYS DENIES THE TRUTH. WHY DID MATERAZZI TRY TO SOFTEN UP THE SITUATION BY MAKING FALSE REMARKS? DO THEY HAVE THE GUT AND COURAGE TO FACE HATRED ONCE THE WORLD KNOWS THE TRUTH? ITALY WILL BE HATED AND ALWAYS REMEMBERED AS THE TEAM WHO WON THE CUP WITH RUBBISH SMART-TALK. At least they know the power of words.

ha ha ha all those jealous & envious of everything italian must be choking on their words with their claims of materazzi using racist remarks!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_-_SR62uz0

hahahah….look at this p.o.s zidane, i think he knows a thing or two about headbutting. what a terrorist. he doesn’t regret it so f*ck him

and the stupidity continues.
lets just stop this
Facts
1/ Italy won
2/ France lost
3/ Zidane committed a calculated act of violence
Common Sense
1/ Trash talk would be committed by every team
2/ The world is angry at Italy because they are jealous
3/ Reverse the roles of Materazzi and Zidane in the incident AND pretend that France won……..would we be having these discussions
HELL NO

FYI – I am not Italian

hmmn, Zizou seems a bit contradictory in his talk, on the one hand he apologises to all the kids who might have seen the action, but then also says he has no regrets. Also he doesn’t apologise to his teammates who he left without their captain for the last 10 minutes of the world cup final.

Neither player wants to say exactly what Materazzi said, M because it will make him look like a nasty bastard, Z because whatever was said, most people will (suddenly) realise it didn’t warrant that reaction, also it will mean everyone in the world knows how to really get to him very easily!

A bunch of divers, and 70M people around the world that exult in this win, you will never get any credit for this “win” from the other 99%. The enduring pictures from this world cup are a bleeding McBride and a disallowed goal from the US game, a 95th minute dive PK against Australia, clown Totti in an otherwise excellent semis, and of course the taunting Mothrfckerazzi deservedly drawing Zidane’s headbutt. The asterisk against your statistic of a win will forever be associated with an underhandedly-denied Zidane. And if you think you’re going to see a tourist bounce because of this, keep looking….And UEFA competitions are not going to miss your cheating Serie A clubs. FORZA ITALMERDA.

oh and also, Zidane says he thought about punching him with his right hand but thought it might be blocked, and he didn’t want to hit with his left hand … so he decided to do the goat move. (ie. it was in a sense premeditated)

forza materazzi , nice work on producing the perfect evidence ,the clown & thug that zidane is!!!!! ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

i’m so tired… all players, including zidane, i’m sure, insulted once as least the referee or another player, including the fans. Insulting is not good, of course, it has to be eliminated of football (in other sports, like basketball is not very often). But i’m tired of listening poor zidane, he hear some insults, materazzi deserved it… he does not deserved that violence!!! ok, racism out, of course (and stop saying that he is racist and so on), but VIOLENCE OUT as well!!! we can’t stand that, even if is zidane (and it is not his first time!!!) Rooney’s action was horrible, is there anyone who asks if carvalho provoked him? (normal) So why is everybody making materazzi the guilty person when he was the victim of the violence!!! please!! of course he is not a saint, but in this case zidane is not saint as well. i don’t know why people hate italian team so much. i admire his force, his defense, and his playing when they play great like with germany. i would like spanish team had this mentality of winning, and not ours, we always get back home early. So congratularions, italia, you deserved it!

OkOK, this is a soccer match…trash talk is normal, and if a terrorist comment was made, this is a product of white western society, who have been brainwashed into the “war on terror”. He is only spewing the latest buzz words from Bush, Blair and company.

He certainly acted like a terrorist

A guy insults my mother. I kick his head in! What’s wrong with that?

If my little boy asks me, why did he head butt him. I say: because the other guy insulted his mother. Surely. simple enough for a kid to understand that if one insults members of your family repeatedly he will get what he deserves.

Italy were the better side in the first half. France dominated the second. Italian penalties were better than French. Italy win. Fair result. Well done Italy from a Frenchman. The two teams that deserved to be in the final, with Germany battled it out and Italy won on the day.

There is not one player in the Italian team as good as Zidane. Whatever Materazzi said, he got what he deserved and Zidane got a red card for it. And this got to be the best head butt in the history of the world. Pure genius in the delivery on the best stage imaginable. Zidane is simply the best, and all the slipper wearing bores, who don’t understand what a fighting spirit is, well, can just carry on moaning online. I bet you none are Italian nor French, but just a bunch of losers trying to justify why they could reach the final.

I am happy to be part of the second best team in the world, because Italy, on this occasion deserves to be first.

Of course it was premeditated. He runs around him, positions himself in front and then steps into him, lowering his head as to not hit his face (blood is evidence)

[racist comments deleted] How does it feel to be goofed on by Jay Leno, Daivd Letterman and John Stewart in America on national TV. FORZA ITALIA!!!!!!!!!

They all have crap tv shows that try to make fun of everything. Like Mad Magazine..its not funny when you make fun of everything.
so basically I dont think they will care

Ryan McFarlane: Welcome to the world. Of course it was premeditated. Materazzi had it coming.

Well Materazzi wanted to wind him up, but forgot that Zidane is a street fighter. If Materazzi wants to gob off, he has to be ready to take the deserved retribution.

What a head butt. The fact that Zidane’s is one of the greatest player of the century cannot be diminished by a head butt, quite the opposite. People with personnality don’t do what the slipper wearing brigade want them to do. Fighters follow instinct not reason, and that makes them great.

Actually Materazzi didn’t complain did he? It obviously knows that he probably got what he was looking for.

Finally, Italy and Materazzi still deserved to win the WC.

Well those last two comments from Zidane’s mother, and Forte are proberbly some of the racist comments I have heard for a while and you should be ashamed. They also show what a low mentality you must have. I think Materazzi got what he deserved if he did say such things about Zidane’s family.

After this incident, France comes out far better. They played a cleaner game without the dirty tricks. They can hold their heads up high.

Italy ought to be ashamed of Materazzi. His boorish behavior only reinforces the world’s view of Italians as a bunch of petty thieves after tourist’s wallets.

Ryan, I agree its obviously premeditated, however its odd that ZZ would admit to it (since it worsens his actions), admitting to something everyone knows is not so common as it should be (think of ‘I did not have sexual relations with that woman’)

I think that Zidane actually came out of this a hero to most of the world. he ran up ahead faced him and then layed the head butt in. it was quite honourable.
LONG LIVE ZIDANE ZIDANE

What’s the problem with head-butting Italians.?
I do it all the time.

phil, natalia, etc…
why do you believe that Zidane version it’s the truth and you don’t believe to Materazzi?

personally I don’t believe in both, they are trying to escape from this situation.

I CANNOT believe in the parts that are envolved
I CAN believe in respectable witnesses, but there aren’t
I CAN believe in what I see and what I hear…

and what I have seen is Zidane headbutting Materazzi, that’s it

shame on you Zizou, you could end with style apolgising to Materazzi for an excess of nervousness due to the tense of the final, but no, you tried to put the shame on Materazzi.
Sorry I cannot believe you, this is not your first fault I guess it’s now clear that you have problems to control anger.

Terrorist an racist ah ah ah grow up people, start thinking with your head and not with the article of the rubbish paper that are ready to invent everything to sell one copy more.

Roger, even though I’m a french supporter, a little perspective please. France had their own ‘dirty tricks’ such as Malouda’s dive, and um, condenming an entire nation of people based on one person’s actions might be a little overkill don’t you think?

I have to admit that my admiration for Zidane only increased after head butt. Materazzi deserved it, and at least 200 good players (including Italians) I am sure were applauding to Zidane. the guy is a retard, and killer. Look at his history.

I would respect Italy only if all players come out and refuse to play on the same team with Materazzi (like Buffon did).

And to all bastard Italians posting here in defense to Materazzi, fuck off…
And your mammas and sisters are whores, and you are dirty Italian mafia terrorists.

Now how that feels? Is it a regular sport trash talk to you?

I have to admit that my admiration for Zidane only increased after head butt. Materazzi deserved it, and at least 200 good players (including Italians) I am sure were applauding to Zidane. the guy is a retard, and killer. Look at his history.

I would respect Italy only if all players come out and refuse to play on the same team with Materazzi (like Buffon did).

ALL you italia bad-mouthers are soooo stupid. Materazzi is the most hated guy now eh? AHAHHA…you guys are just like him. Why don’t you go join the italian team and increase the percentage of racists caz thats what you are proud of rite? FIFA says “SAY NO TO RACISM”. Materazzi says “YOU SON OF A TERRORIST…..” and way more. You know that had Zidane been in he would’ve won the cup for them eh? Y’all are so unnerved at having almost lost to FRANCE that you attack them even after you wrongfully won the cup. SORE WINNERS. You all know in your hearts that materazzi is a black hearted liar and a racist mistake brought upon this world.

TO “zidane’s mother”
“forte”

GO TO HELL thats where you belong. You all are so pathetic it makes me laugh….talking about racism on a football blog. Wonder how you behave in reality. Shut-mouthed young bastards scared to get a punch in the face, caz thats what you’d get if u say it straight up in sumone’s face. Try that you COWARDS. ANd hah…what else would you expect from an American. US is the biggest terrorists I’ve ever seen.

And FORTE…hard to believe ur from Canada caz so am I. Thought that canadians were smart and intelligent but theres alway the abnormal odd ones rite?

Sorry what I meant to say is that the US government is the biggest terrorists I’ve ever seen. Along with anyone else who talks SH–

We don’t want the respect of anyone’s admiring violent acts.
Thanks footbal-fan, stay in your country full of gun and keep on acting like a sheriff.

Well this was a great final. Two great teams facing each other. Great football, great headbutt, great Italian penalties. It was fabulous.

Nicko: I agree, I think Italy were definetely the best team of the tournament with France and Germany. They could have scored several times in the first half, and France had the best of the second half.

Amongst France, Germany, Portugal, Holland, England, Argentina, Brazil and Italy, I think the only one that was completely without a clue was England. Why use Lampard for the first penalty. Are they just plain mad? The one guy without any confidence to take the first penalty. Ridiculous.

I actually couldn’t care less what Materazzi or Zidane say. He could have headbutted him for the fun of it in the end of the day, if somebody tweaks my nipples, and insults repeatedly my friends or family, there will be retribution. What’s that all about tweaking nipples? Anybody deserves a good slap for that alone.

I don’t go around the office tweaking my colleagues nipples do I?

Thanks for your common sense, Ryan McFarlane, because you are one of the very few who have demonstrated it. Everyone else is so full of bias, it’s sickening. Italy is this, Italians are that and this. Give me a break! As if only the Italians dived! As if only the Italians taunted opponents with words! Maybe not all players do it, but you will find some players in ALL teams that do it. Zidane is not the angel everyone paints him to be. He has been red-carded 14 times in his career, but then, his fanatical supporters will make excuses for him, won’t they? Zidane is human like all of us and his football history clearly demonstrates he has, on occasions, an uncontrollable temper, regardless of his great skills as a footballer.

Roger? Who said Zidane is an angel? He kicked the head in of somebody who tweaked his nipples, gobbed off his family and the guy, quite frankly was looking for it.

As far as I know, the rules of the game do not include tweaking nipples. Therefore who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.

I agree with you re demonizing people, Materazzi included. He played with fire and burned himself. But Italy dived no more than England, France or Portugal.

Thierry Henry is getting quite good at it. Or what about the Joe Cole dive against Portugal? This got to be the dive of the tournament together with Ronaldo’s dive against the French. Or Crouch pulling out the Trinidad and Tobaggo’s dreadlocks to score the first goal.

However some teams didn’t seem to dive as much: Germany and Mexico springs to mind. I think they should use video evidence and penalise players who use underhand methods. Also, one should compile a video

@ Phil

The word “angel” may not have been specifically used, but Zidane’s defenders almost paint him as one, that was my point. And thank you for also demonstrating common sense with the rest of your comment. It’s good to see someone else on this site who is not bias.

Cheers.

Marco Materazzi is a dirty PIG of a player that is giving the world game a nasty stink!!!

One person who has benefited from Materazzi……Grosso, he is no longer that “biggest cheat in football” lol
New week, new flavour

>

Does anyone else here find it hilarious that an American lectures another country about the world’s view of it?

Referring, of course to the stupid comment made by “Roger”, posting from USA

Zidane: what a man

“Materazzi admits to insulting Zidane”

This is sad I see some Italian’s or Zidane haters stil think that he was wrong!! He did what any man wud do …If you’re punk then don’t bother to comment on this incident trust me you won’t understand.

All the best to Zidane.

Boooooo to the cheatalian’s they won a fake Cup.

I like that word :) cheatalians :)

Regardless of what was said, Zidane being a PROFESSIONAL footballer should’ve just ignored it.

It can’t be the first time a footballer from the opposing team has tried to provoke him.

And in this scenario he played into the hands of the provoker and he got a red card – which is exactly what the opposing team wants to happen.

So:

1) You gave the Italians exactly what they wanted
2) You inadvertently might have given them the World Cup on a silver platter

So, who’s the winner now?

My opinion of Zizou has’nt changed, i still adore the guy. What he did was wrong and he was punished for it, but i’m not gonna crucify the guy. He’s still the best player of my generation and i’ll remember him as such. He’s human and he messed up, it aint the end of the world.

As far as the Italians being called racist, i think that’s wrong, ppl need to get a grip and stop stereotyping. I dont like Materazzi b/c he’s a disgusting player and frankly i dont have a shred of sympathy for him and i’m sure none of the players who have ever been on the recieving end of his attacks give a crap about him either. Its not fair though to extend dislike for him to the entire Italian team, i think most of them are good bunch of guys and skilled players.

For all those unaware of Materazzi’s history of dirty playing and shitty overacted dives, just google him- there is a video out there showing him doing similar stuff that Zizou did. He has even attacked his former team mates. In one clip, he walks on a guy’s chest! Take that Italian fans, your pretty boy loser can dish it but he can’t take it. Materazzi wasn’t even known before the headbutt but Zidane is considered to be the best player in the last 50 years. Bravo Zidane, you are a real man for standing up for your family and your culture!!

zidane did the right thing

I love how many people are trying to blame this on Materazzi.

Zizou is responsible for his opwn actions, and should show some accountabilitry for losing his cool.

Materazzi was out of line. But it does not justify a calculated physical attack intended to commit gross bodliy harm.

And if you think, even remotely support, what Zidane did you should not, NEVER, EVER be allowed to play any sport short of badminton or table tennis

funny how fake fouls and diving create more of a scandal than a physical attack. Relativistic revisionism anyone?

no wonder the WC 06 was terrible to watch.

to Affin: Well Italy’s the winner so what? It’s a football match and there is only one team that can win the world cup. FACT

As for being responsible hm hm… Football is not like a job in a bank. It is a physical game, and in a final of a WC, adrenaline levels are VERY high.

It is survival mode and to believe that footballers will always consult there inner self and lawyers before kicking a ball or headbutting somebody, would end up having all teams playing like England this year. Without spontaneity.

geo, bravo, couldnt have said it better myself.

I THINK ZIDANE IS NOTHING BUT A DIRTY YELLOW SPINELESS FRENCHMAN. HE DOES NOT DESERVE ANY KIND OF TROPHY OR AWARD.
I WAS SITTING NEXT TO A FRENCH FAN AND HE COULD NOT BELEIVE WHAT HAPPENED.
MAYBE WHAT MATTERAZZI SAID IS TRUE .
IT IS SAID THAT MOST FRENCH HATE EVERYONE NOT FRENCH .
THEY OUGHT TO TAKE THE RED AND BLUE OFF THEIR FLAG AFTERALL THEY ARE USED TO WAVING A WHITE FLAG AREN’T THEY…
ALSO THIS IS A REAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP UNLIKE WHAT THE MEDIA IN THE USA REPORTING ON THE NBA,NFL,NHL,ETC…
CALL A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
THE U.S.A. WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE AND THE PRIDE OF WINNING A WORLD CUP TROPHY.
THEY KEEP COMPLAINING OF THE FIFA SOCCER RULES .THEY WANT TO CHANGE THE RULES TO BENEFIT THEM. IF THE U.S. EVER WON THEY WOULD BE SO COCKY.
IE :THE OLYMPIC SKIER(I CAN’T REMEMBER HIS NAME BUT,WHAT A PATHETIC LOSER AND EMBARASSMENT TO THE U.S.A. OLYMPIC SKI TEAM HE WAS IN THE OLYMPICS)

THE BEST TEAM WON.
FORZA ITALIA ,FORZA AZZURRI.
I’M PROUD TO BE ITALIAN.
WE CELEBRATED PROUDLY IN BOSTON.

Both Materazzi and Zidane should have been punished. Materazzi for the provocation and his loose morals which were bared before the whole world, and Zidane for lacking self-restraint.

Zidane has at least been punished. And he has shown character by apologizing and explaining why he acted the way he did. For some poeple honor is more important than the glitter of gold. He made his choice and has accepted the consequences.

Zidane’s popularity will increase in the days to come. He will be seen as someone who stood up to the moral degeneration and hypocrisy prevalent in our societies today.

if he had any honor he would have not committed such a violent attack on another human being. his popularity will only increase in the world of thugdom.

Some bloggers may throw daggers across the internet to the Italian team, to some of the Italian players and also pour scorn on every living Italian, spew expletives galore, racist, cutting and sarcastic comments, but the fact remains: Italy won. For French supporters not capable of accepting the lose is an indication that you are also losing your integrity in the process.

Donna, are you a lawyer? Thugs, lawyers btw, are very close terms…

Guys and gals, let’s not get personal.

Donna, I would agree with you if Zidane was dealing with a human being.

In Materazzi he was dealing with lowest form of life. Just see some of the videos of Materazzi on the internet.

I write a comment denigrating the racism by some bloggers, and my comment is deleted. Good one!

Anyone interested in my deleted comment on this site visit the Italian blog and you will see it under Veni Vidi Vici. Why did you delete it, Daryl?

It’s now above – awaiting moderation – why?

Bizarre how soccer players first reaction is to headbutt, other sports throw punches and push people. Zidane was obviously reacting in a flash of anger. This has traditionaly in law and custom being treated more leniently that calculated acts. That being said i don’t think it was malicious. I can’t see how he could have caused serious harm with his head butt, he was red carded took it well, apologised to the fans and refrained from getting into a insult slinging match with Materazzi. If anything I respect him more. Materazzi on the other hand… it is unfortunate for Italy that a nation can occasionally be judged by the actions of a couple of players and a few rumours about diving training…

When the rumour was circulating that Materazzi had called Zidane “the son of a terrorist whore” I found it quite ironic. Someone calls you that and you react….like a terrorist? lol

Also let’s put one other thing to bed. Even Zidane hadn’t been sent off and it had gone to penalty kicks, David Trezeguet would still have taken a penalty…and missed.

I am a huge, huge fan of Zidane, but I wasn’t impressed by his interview. He should have apologized to his team and coach (I’m sure he has privately, but a public acknowledgement just seems like the right thing to do). He should have taken more responsibility for his actions, rather than point the finger at at Materazzi, calling him the “true culprit/guilty party.” People are already slamming Materazzi as it is (myself included, haha), it would have been better for Zidane’s image to take the high road and not result to scapegoating. I’m sure he feels terrible, but in the interviews he didn’t come across as being all that remorseful. I was surprised; it wasn’t up to Zidane’s usual standard of sportsmanship and grace, but then again, neither was the headbutt. What are other people’s thoughts about the interview and how Zidane came off?

Also, I mentioned this in another post, but this is probably a better place to discuss it (excuse me for repeating myself, lol): Did anyone else find it suspect that neither Zidane nor Materazzi would tell the press exactly what was said? Why do you think this is?

jflo – um ‘like a terrorist’? in his anger did he strap a bunch of explosives and take out a portion of the crowd? I must have missed that – hmmn, maybe that’s where that gap in the stadium came from

nola, agree with you 100%

I posted earlier on why neither player would comment:
M – would make him look nasty, the vague term ‘an insult’ is much nicer than admitting to saying ‘I called his mother and sister fucking whores … repeatedly’
ZZ – suddenly people would realise how much he over-reacted, ie. ‘he called my mother and sister fucking whores … so in my final game, the world cup final with a billion people watching, I lost all perspective and headbutted him’.

@ Nola,

I can’t answer your last question, because I fear what I say will be deleted by whoever runs this post. Read my comments above to a comment which was deleted by was accepted in the Italian blog under the post Veni Vidi Vici. People come out with the most racist comments and I comment on these deplorable comments and I’m deleted.

Phil,

I understand of course.

But you gotta know that as a professional veteral footballer, people always expect more from you.

Now, what has Zidane left the world with?

He will go down in history and be remembered for? Not his great skills and goal-scoring abilities, but this head-butting incident.

What a shame, I say.

… that should read “veteran” not “veteral”.

Typo.

Nicko – Yeah…like a terrorist…by that I mean generally thuggish behaviour. Instead of letting his football do the talking he reacted with violence, which as history has proven, did not solve anything. So for me there were parallels, though obviously not as pronounced. I, however acknowledge that such an insult is serious and if materazzi had said it, he should be punished.

materazzi is my hero

Note to all:
Zidane hasn’t apologized for the head butt. Nor will he.

He has apologized to his fans for going out but not for the headbutt.

also note: he thinks that it was preordained and “destined” to happen. He has no regrets for doing it and would do it again if provoked.

Like Maradona his skills may be respectable and graceful, but his behavior deserves no respect.

All my comments are “awaiting moderation”. Look above for they will so go. Delete them, Daryl, or whoever, I’m going.

jflo, jokes aside I think its not such a good call, did Rooney act ‘like a terrorist’ when he responded to fouls on him? did Deco act ‘like a terrorist’ when he cut down the dutch player for his first yellow?
Given that the thought that M calling Z a terrorist was so offensive to so many, suggesting that Z ‘acted like a terrorist’ is a bit silly.

lalalalala – even if you are posting these messages to get a reaction from others…IT’S NOT FUNNY! I wonder if you would have the balls to post this vitriol if you didn’t have the anonymity of the internet!

I can t believe the amount of Italian bashing by a bunch classless sore losers.

And the media is i biased as well, most don t even mention Zidane history of expulsions.

As for Zidane s interview. Are we to be so naive to beleive that “thrash talk” is a new phenomenon? The provoker is just as guilty? How would that work out if it we actually applied that as a rule? As if that were possible. Or even desirible.

The fact that he doesn t regret his actions is already proof the man is violent and arrogant.

And that posing with the army like jacket over his shoulder like he s a wounded shoulder…Gimme a break.

nicko, I see your point, and I take it back if I offended you, but I repeat, I simply found Zidane’s violent response ironic given the alleged slur. I wouldn’t compare it to the rooney or deco incidents because I simply don’t know the facts surrounding those incidents like I do Zidane’s. But in the spirit of the board. I take back the ‘like a terrorist’ comment. However, nicko, you mean to say you can’t see any irony in his violent response after being compared to a violent person?

i like italy is the best

I know what you’re saying jflo, I’m a big fan of irony :D
but yeah I see a big difference between someone being violent to a provocator and someone being violent to random innocents :-(

anyhow, back to football!

World Cup Final, 2006

The great Zidane drops his head to charge
The bully Materazzi falls
Though Italy may have the Cup
France has the brass and golden balls

I just don’t understand why Zidane is so popular among the media. If anyone else had done this they would be crucified. (remeber beckham in 98 for a much less severe punishment). Zidane does these things at least a couple of times a year he has a terrible temper. He is not a demon but surely not an angel either. The same with Materazzi. Zidane palyed a couple of good games and one great game (brazil) but he does not deserve the player of the tournament award. That was cannavaro with 7 amazing displays of pure quality. Canavaro was unbeatable.

“I don’t regret my behaviour because regretting it would mean he was right to say what he said.”

Ok Zidane…you rank just below maradona and pele for me in terms of football greatness, but that statement makes absolutely no sense. You should regret your behaviour if you did something wrong, is he trying to imply he did nothing wrong then?

actually one interesting thing is that FIFA has launched one of its infamous ‘probes’ into the event, I wonder if Z or M will be obliged to state exactly what they said there, so for all of both players attempts to cover up the actual words it may come out nevertheless …

oh on golden balls, did anyone see Buffon’s kit for the final? We sung ‘Gold Member’ every time he got the ball in the pub I was in :D

FIFA claims that the probe is like any other that’s carried out when a player is red carded. Somehow I doubt that. I think materazzi and Zidane will have to spill it. This can only get uglier I believe. More fodder for the press, but a black eye for the game.

Zidane is a total idiot. And more of an idiot after his half apology. He needs medical help for his brain. He has not learned a thing. Take the award away. Justice was done -France has lost. Imagine if France had won. Cannavaro deserves the award. Zidane is not bigger than the game. He is a complete disgrace -he shamed the sport and all associated with it. He is a total asshole. He is a sissy if he cannot take an insult. Redemption for Zidane is not in the Cards.{red,yellow or pink}.

jflo Ditto your comments on Z “I don’t regret my behavior b/c regretting it would mean he was right to say what he said”

This is the stupidest statement I’ve ever heard. Applying Z’s logic would allow any violent act to be excusable, regardless of what prompted it.

Z’s an idiot and a coward for not openly apolgizing

Is it all bad press in the US? In australia I think soccer has a new respect, basically it was thought to be played by sissies who fell to the ground at the slightest touch (we’re used to full contact codes of football here), Zizou has shown australians that soccer can be ‘a man’s’ sport.
Its quite perverse, but it may have actually helped out…

lol nicko – That is indeed perverse. I was considering, we wouldn’t be posting on this blog now, if Zidane had taken the insults, played the game and afterwards made a formal complaint to FIFA and if they did nothing about it, he could have mentioned it in the press. It would have then put the focus squarely on Materazzi and forced him to come clean about the abuse. But by his actions he gives Materazzi a chance to hide, since everyone now focuses on Zidane’s behaviour.

Nicko, unfortunately there’s not much press at all here in the US. You have to search for it. Mostly it’s confusion, as in, what they heck did he do that for? It’s incomprehensible here.

I know for me, even as it was happening, most of me was thinking, “That’s horrible,” while a tiny bit of me was thinking, “Wow. Now THAT was effective.” I’m now leaning toward the guilty, “Wow, cool!” feeling. (And I’m female, btw.) I don’t think I’d feel the same if he weren’t such an amazing soccer player.

Zidane should be punished by having to drive in Buenos Aires traffic for 2 weeks and during the weekends he should work as a referee in the local football league(Saturday B div and Sunday A div). That way he will definety get used to receiving all kind of insults against his mother, his sister, greatgrandmother and other relatives.

awsome Alex XD

geez, can you imagine if referees started reacting to all the sh*t they cop from spectators?

If the referees reacted to spectators, I think we’d see a lot more ‘Eric-Cantona-flying-dropkick’ moments…starring the refs!!!

Let this be a lesson for all those cowards who think they can insult others because they are playing football….haha.. head but to death!!

well done zidane. don’t take no crap!!!

We don’t what really happened, maybe neither will we.Just for Italy or the Italian team, Materazzi is a hero, he did his best not only in final match,but also any other matches,and he brought back the CUP with his teamleagers after a long time of 24 years.
Many people hate Materazzi, mostly in a BBS named KDS,i will invite some frind from KDS to show their opinion here

Here in Australia, verbal abuse is called sledging, particularly in the game of cricket. It has been in the news for years, where many players have admitted it is part of the game – to upset the concentration your opponent. In a few cases there has been a physical reaction from the cricketeer who is being ’sledged’, and it is he who is condemned, because verbal abuse is seen as acceptable but physical reaction is most unacceptable, ie., “not cricket”. Even though Matarazzi may have provoked Zidane, the latter’s reaction is “not cricket”.

Gees patrick, to bring up sledging now, we’d have to go into the history of how the ultimate gentleman’s game, namely cricket, has been spoiled by such behaviour. Sledging has no place in cricket!

well said, alex the Aussie.

Italians will be better served by not trying to defend Matarezzi the lowlife.

As for Zidane, no one is exonerating him. He made a mistake, apologized and expressed his cadid view which I can’t agree with, but I do repect. What else can you say about him?

As for the lowlife Materazzi, he is still hiding in showdows and darkness where the likeness of him belong.

Well said, alex the Aussie.

Italians will be better served by not trying to defend Materazzi the lowlife.

As for Zidane, no one is exonerating him. He made a mistake, apologized and expressed his candid views which I can’t agree with, but I do respect. What else can you say about him?

As for the lowlife Materazzi, he is still hiding in showdows and darkness where the likeness of him belong.

The problem, though, in cricket is that microphones are now installed within the stumps and other areas of the field, and on many occasions the words spoken by the players are clearly heard, but the sleding continues. Would it have been great for everyone to have heard the conversation between Materazzi and Zidane because microphones installed at various locations picked up their voices.

to all aussies out there: Can’t you just see Steve Waugh/Shane Warne in the place of Materazzi? The entirity of the former british empire would be going for Zizou!

Patrick, it is a great idea.

Just like in Cricket, sledging picked up by the mircophones will be ignored for the most part. BUT when you have an incidence like this, the microphones will reveal the truth.

I think the microphones would have revealed a side to the conversation we can’t see. As far as I’m concerned, Materazzi is going to try to make himself look good, and so is Zidane. I do not accept either player’s explanation as gospel. Both leave out key parts of what actually happened. There are always three sides to a story. In this case there’s four, when you include FIFA’s spin. But I’m a bit shocked as to how quickly people are willing to justify Zidane’s behaviour, to the point of saying he had a right to head-butt Materazzi if he was insulted, simply because he is their hero. Zidane did something wrong. It shouldn’t be smoothed over or justified.

great~!

hoho~

@ nicko

Yep, I can see Steve Waugh/Shane Warne in the place of Materazzi, but the English cricketeers are no angels when it comes to sledging. They hold their own very well. So this is the point, all team sports have footballers who participate in verbal abuse, in one form or other. It was also seen, but rarely, in tennis, and the reaction from the opposing player would be to hit the ball extremlely hard towards his opponent in retaliation, then raise his hand indicating an apology when we all could see the falseness.

Come here following bbs folks…ok, let me express some. Whatever Materazzi said, whatever Zidane did, Football is fake, world cup is full of fake. I hate those fatmen in FIFA. They sucks. Now, Zidane quit and, more will quit, so do I.

狂顶齐达内，马特拉奇是垃圾

jflo, nothing is absolute, things are relative. They need to be placed in context.

Zidane’s act is sad. But in my opinion it is not egregious when you look at the provocation and Materazzi’s background.

老子就素宇宙第一前锋乌克兰核弹头Andriy Shevchenko 额滴神呀!!
ACmilan宇宙无敌
老子人在破车心在milan

Why do you think Materazzi insulted Zidane…Out of the blue? I think that M was provoked by Z too. Plus what is Z..5 yrs old? He has used his head in the past too against other opponents.I think he is just an animal and his mother’s comment on ” The Mirror” speaks aloud on his roots…”I want to see Materazzi’s testicle on a plate”…What kind of mother would say something like that?

I don’t think Zidane is an idiot – he doesn’t have to apologize (to Materazzi) if he doesn’t want to. It’s his choice, just as it was his choice to head-butt him in reponse to the verbal slurs (whatever their nature my have been).

What I find amazing is the long, heated post-match discussion of what Materazzi might have said to cause Zidane to snap. Did we ask what caused the Argentenians to react violently after their match with Germany, or Totti for spitting ata Danish player in Euro 2004, and so on? No, of course not. To say, with every violent altercation in sport that is preceeded by a verbal exchange: “now hold on a minute, what did that guy say to make the other guy snap like that” would be ludicrous. Just as it has been in this case.

I believe that some of the reasons these questions being asked are because:

1) Zidane’s almost mythical status in a lot of the public’s minds (pre-game, anyway).

2) the fact that the incident came at the end of very high-profile and vastly important match that France was doing very well in.

3) that France, after having their captain and sure penalty taker red-carded and removed from the gme, went on to lose said game in penalties, and thus did not win the World Cup.

I’m not defending or supporting what Materazzi said or did, I am just saying that it’s essentially immaterial. Defending a violent action by saying that your mom or sister were slandered (whether true or not) is – whether in sport or life – weak and childish, to say th least. It does not make you “man,” it makes you a person easily gotten to.

On a personl note, I have played plenty of different sports, and have been on the receiving end of a variety of creative and, I guess some would say, offensive comments. During those moments I wonder “Does this audacious taunt really work on people?”

Well, I guess sometimes they do; and sometimes they do when the whole world is watching. The incident should not, however, create a hero or a villain, or be the inspiration for the myriad of racist remarks I have seen posted on the internet over the past several days.

It did not “cheat,” Zidane can never be a disgrace based on one action, and if his still-heroic status does not have to be supported by an active vilain, in Materazzi.

On another note, congrats to Italy – as a neutral, I say a very well played tournament.

Not egregious? The biggest tournament in the world, the highest stage and the highest stakes in sport and he reacts like that? I disagree. Hey, believe it or not I love Zidane and I respect his ability. But if Michael Jordan had stopped to throw a punch at a player who been ribbing him in the NBA finals and it cost his team the game, I’d hold him responsible as well.

lao zi jiu suo yu zhou di yi qian feng wu ke lan he dan tou Andriy Shevchenko ou di shen ya!!
ACmilan yu zhou wu di
lao zi ren zai po che xin zai milan

像马特拉奇这样的杂种可以回家歇菜去了。

jflo, I can’t comment about Jordan but I can tell why Shaq doesn’t have to put up with sledging? A head but from him will sink his opponenet 10 feet into the ground.

lol re:shaq

What I find interesting about Zidane is that operates very much within his own code of conduct, which is not necessarily society’s. I’ve seen him in interviews and he is very calm and gentle. His teammates adore him. Referees unfailingly praise his respectful attitude — except when they’re red-carding him. This is no Wayne Rooney hothead. He is calm, humble, charitable, self-effacing…except when he’s head-butting somebody in the chest. That’s why the French stand up for him — because there is so much good there. Except when there’s bad. He is neither black or white, but, as Chirac said, human.

Yes, Zidane is just a human… even if he thinks to be a god above everybody else’laws…

Materazzi is caitiff

zidane did the right thing
he defended his mother and sister
family comes first and the rest of the world comes after

Materazzi scored a goal, made a penalty kick, got zidane kicked out of the game…honestly he was the man of the match…hahahah

I’m Shevchenko

forzamaterazzi
go to sleep it’s too late for a kid like you to be on the internet
make sure you wash your dirty mouth before you sleep
i hope you are not italian because if you are an italian i would be very embarrassed
on the other hand i accept zidane’s apology

Wendy, that is probably how the US media will report it. I haven’t seen this interview yet, but I’d be surprised if that’s how he came across for those actually watching him. Written words don’t always convey meaning.

As I know, there is a silly kid named “Fool Baby” from KDS@Shanghai,PRC are always called himself “Shevchenko”. This guy was stimulated by a famous teleplay – “Wu Lin Wai Zhuan”! But I’m the real Shevchenko from Ukraine and I’m enjoying my annual leave in Canada now!

FORZAMATERZZI
DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR YOUR MOTHER AND SISTER?
I DON’T THINK SO

FORZAMATERAZZI
YOU MUST BE VERY SICK
MENTALY SICK

I APOLOGIZE FOR THE BEHAVIOR OF FOZAMATERAZZI AND THE OTHER MARCO MATERAZZI
THIS IS SOCCER NOT POLITICS ZIDANE IS A GOOD PLAYER AFTER ALL

老子才素宇宙第一功夫海参

老娘才素宇宙第一HSM

乖囡，表跟傻娃争~~

actually about shaq, he did once punch a guy in a game, luckily his punch did not hit clear on

p.s. he was not thrown out of the game

飘过

actually about shaq, http://www.shoujimanual.com he did once punch a guy in a game, luckily his punch did not hit clear on

p.s. he was not thrown out of the game

The Cheatalians happy with their win? Happy harboring a racist player in Materazzi? Happy harboring a goalkeeper that enjoys extreme right wing facist Mussolini? Any person of color that routs for Italy should be ashamed of themselves. Yeah they play quality soccer but I don’t respect them as a team or as a country. I see how they treat blacks in their leagues. Monkey calling, banana peel throwing, hooting like a monkey are quit normal for a typical Italian huh?

册拿

路过

路过留名！

No Zidane. Regretting it would me that you were a better man then Materazzi, who had to use a pathetic, theatric ploy to get you to do something like this.

Kendal, do you make it a habit of spewing selective jibberish? For the record, Materazzi is best friends with O. Martins – who’s Nigerian. If you want to play that game we can find all sorts of dirt on many countries in soccer history. What an incredibly unfortunate comment. As I have posted elsewhere: Italy has nothing to be ashamed of. The only people who should be ashamed are the ones who are accepting Zidane’s utter thuggish act. Some think he’s some sort of misunderstood Clint Eastwood or Charles Bronson vigilante. What a joke. All it shows is that the French have a frgaile mental focus. Sickening really to here all the justification for what he did. France has only themselves to blame. Oh by the way, are the French ashamed that Henry dove against Spain? That Malouda dove against Italy? That Zidane was an animal on the pitch? Give me a break. How about he reads the biography of Jackie Robinson? IMAGINE IF MATERAZZI HEADBUTTED ZIDANE. Imagine…..

“Materazzi has denied calling Zidane a “dirty terrorist” (or a clean one), claiming “I don’t even know what the word means.” A damning indictment of the Italian education system.”
—-Or it shows how subjective and obscure terms like “terrorist” are. One’s actions with which you disagree you may call terrorism while those same actions by someone you support you may call “freedom fighting.” Given this, saying you don’t know what a terrorist is could be a sign of an intelligent mind not buying into simply labels and dichotomies. Anyways, regardless of what was said, Materazzi succeeded in taking Zidane off his game and utltimately out of the Final. Very smart, cool, and calm is Zidane. Sure he comes off as calm and cool, and he may be in certain instances but Zidane is prone to violence on the field. He has a history of violent behaviour which has included previous headbutting instances and stomping on players with intent to injure. Zidane is anything but mentally or emotionally stable, at least on the field. The best way to defend his familys honour would have been to point at the score board at the end of the game had France won.

Alex the truth hurts huh? Everything I stated are facts. Materazzi is the “animal” not Zidane. Just Youtube Materazzi and see how blatant his attacks are. Secondly it has been reported that Buffon is a fan of facist Mussolini. Last, but not least, the treating of blacks in Italian as well as Spanish leagues are infamous buddy. You can’t even deny that. How they treat the African origin players is quite scary and “unfortunate”

Mater-Nazzi is a pathetic little racist. Family is sacred, he has lost face. Zidane stands proud.

Aarsh,
So not only can’t Shaq hit a free throw, he can’t even punch?

After watching Zidane he may be getting ideas of his own. I can’t imagine anoyone surviving a head-but from Shaq.

KRUMAN
SHAQ AND KOBY STILL DATING?

Materazzi’s comments can definitely not be condoned. However we have to understand that no matter how much we dislike it, these things are nowadays very much part of the game and Zidane as a senior player should have known how to handle it. However I don’t even blame Zidane much as the same statements were repeated twice or thrice causing him to lose his mind. However there are 2 things which I need to point out very specifically.
1. Zidane’s dismissal did not affect the result of the final. There were 10 minutes left. Against a team which only conceded an own goal and a penalty in the entire tournament you cannot score in the last 10 minutes. As for the penalties, Trezeguet would have anyway taken one. Neither he nor any of the French are to blame. They took their penalties well and confidently. I feel that only fate decided this match and the reason it went for Italy was that France have been very lucky in the recent past while Italy have been very unlucky.
2. I found the comments of Zidane’s mother very nasty. What happened was on the field and it should not be converted to a personal off-field feud. In any case only Fifa has the right to punish the guilty. The comments she made about Materazzi who is someone else’s son are most unbecoming of a mother.

I live in a country that has adopted the Westminster system of government. There are law to which all citizens have to abide. If one breaks the law he/she is punished and the sentence will be determined by a court of law. During the past few years there have been actions by drivers who are a bit hot-headed. The innocent drive may have blown his car horn, or thoughtlessly entered the other lane without indicating, etc., and the hot-headed driver reacted with what is termed “road rage”, alighting from his vehicle and physically attacking the other driver. There have also been cases where one driver gives the finger salute to a 2nd, and the latter responds with road rage. By now you should know to where I am heading (no pun intended). Zidane may have been provoked, but his retaliation is equivalent to road rage, the action of a tempestuous person who has lost the ability to control his anger. This does not condone the action of Materazzi, but to resort to physical violence as a response to verbal abuse is unacceptable any civilised country.

Patrick,
Can you please tell me which civilized society embraces nipple tweakers and abuse of one’s mother and sister.

Have you ever heard of “harassment”. A cvilized society puts a lid on bad behaviour by laws that punish nipple tweakeing harassers.

On the football field it is the refs whose jobs is to facilitate a clean game. They often turn a blind eye to “known felons” who harass star players.

Patrick,
It was not “verbal abuse”. Physical abuse, nipple tweak, preceded the verbal abuse. Just get a recording of the game bradcasted by Univision.

Guys, Materazzi is used to saying such nasty mom/sister related insluts and hearing them. I am sorry but if you say these things, when your own mother is dead, that is just so LOW.
Arabs and North Africans in particular consider mothers and sisters their Honor, in the traditional eastern sense of honor, and any man of this background would not take such insluts…..I think the italian player knew this and he kept going with it

I think it’s pretty clear…Materazzi like Zedan’s fame, nipples and his penis LOL It’s obvious Materazzi has a small penis, which brings out so much hostility.

This is stupid remarks – “On the football field it is the refs whose jobs is to facilitate a clean game. They often turn a blind eye to “known felons” who harass star players”.

You ARE WRONG. The ref will turn a blind eye to star players’ who make offences, for fear of fans’ reprisal. Look at the french president who made stuoid remarks as such “i dont know what happen” when he himself is in the match.

Who in the world would be stupid enough to do what u had just said? The ref who gave Zidane’s red card had no choice, why? Coz it was an outright physical assault. Fool!

And if it is an open and blind 1-sided harrassment that contravenes to the rules of fifa, u can trust fifa to investigate and give that materazzi what he deserves.

In case you dont know, for this WC 2006, the refs were given special training to be attentive to conduct and discipline of players on field.

zidane asked to materazzi: do you want my t-shirt? and materazzi answeared: no I prefer to take off it to your sister?
where is the “dramma”?
has zidane the tongue for answearing?
in Italy we say: “se l’invidia fosse febbre tutto il mondo l’avrebbe! “if envy should be fever(temperature)all people in the world should have it.
zidane got angry with his coach,with the ball that didn’t enter so we have not to find apologies

Kruman,

You can say what you want, but I would rather listen to the reason for the headbutt from Zidane, and he said, quote: “He (Materazzi) pulled on my shirt several times and I told him that we could swap shirts at the end of the game if he wanted to.
“He then pronounced very tough words, words that hurt me deeply, words about my mother and my sister. At first, I tried not to listen to him but he kept repeating them”, Zidane said.

“I knew it was my last game and I knew there were only 10 minutes to play but things happened very swiftly,” he said. You say “Physical abuse, nipple tweak, preceded the verbal abuse”. Seems Zidane’s words don’t match yours, and I think I’ll go with what Zidane gave as the reason for the headbutt, rather than your reason.

Patrick,
I live in an ethnically diverse area and have freinds form the east. I can tell you that in the part of the world that Zidane’s ancestors come from, honor is a big thing. No man would ever say I got my nipple tweaked. My friends and I were just talking about this the other day.

If you said I had my nipple tweaked you’d only get asked “Why didn’d you flatten the a**hole?” And isn’t that what Zidane just did?

Anti-whiner please mind your language. We are all presenting our views here like civilized people.

Kruman

Let’s just agree to disagree. I’ll go by the facts, ie., the reason Zidane gave for the headbutt, and you stick to your inside knowledge of what happened, and the opinions of your friends.

Why the nipple tweak was not shown?

Here’s my theroy: after the Janet Jackson incident at the Super Bowl broadcaster are confused. ABC should’ve shown the nipple tweaking. Otherwise you miss a “key event”. In the US the spanish channel Univision showed it though.

Fair enough Patrick. I don’t blame you for your position at all if you missed the nipple tweak.

For me that was the turning point in siding with Zidane.

Kruman. I’m sorry for my language. My apologies.

“has zidane the tongue for answearing?”

Such comments are worse than hitting – why lower himself to such low level?

The tongue is used for speaking, of course.

U mean hitting the guy is considered higher level?

Kruman

Now you have a theory as to why the nipple tweak wasn’t shown. And you persist with your argument despite the heading for this post is “Zidane: Materazzi Insulted My Mother and Sister”. But your idea of a theory reminds of the following joke:

A young lad approaches his father with the question, “What’s the difference between fact and theory?” Dad tells the boy that it’s difficult to explain but he can demonstrate it to him. He then tells the lad to ask his mother and sister if they would go to bed with a strange man for $500,000. The boy does as instructed and reports back to dad that both mom and sis said they would in fact sleep with a strange man for that amount of money. “Well, there you have it, son,” Dad said. “In theory, we’re millionaires. Fact is we’re living with a couple of sluts.”

Another point, Kruman, in the 1998 1998 FIFA World Cup, during France’s second match of the first round, Zidane received a red card and a two-game suspension in a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia for stamping on the groin (testes)of Saudi Arabia’s team captain Fuad Amin. That’s acceptable is it, and tweaking of the nipples isn’t?

who knows maybe zidane enjoyed his nipple being tweaked, he didn’t complain about that!!!

卵当了外头

Patrick,
Pick whose side you want to be on:
a nipple pincher with a history of vile behavior OR
Zidane, the man who levelled the nipple pinching thug
Zidane, a defender of women’s honor
Zidane, the greatest footballer along with Pele and Maradonna.

Good night guys, it was fun!

In defence of your honor, of course — such foul/dirty language should not go unpunished. Sports are for gentelmen, and if one acts out of a way, then expect punishement

It seems the kitchen was getting a bit too hot for you, Kruman, fleeing into the unknown. Your arguments remind me of the saying “Anything is possible if one doesn’t know what his talking talking about.”

Kruman! You are the man, you know what you are talking.

These people dont understand, they think that every time you meet a thug with offensive behaviour you need to consult your lawyer and then act according to his instructions.

Sometimes “a man gotta do, what a man gotta do” There are more important things in life than footbal. Zidane is a man of honor in addition to great footballer, and some people just cannot
get it.

Patrick,
Stop looking in the mirror when you type.

I thought you left, you know “Good night guys, it was fun!”, but you lied, or was it the little barbed wit brought that brought you back for a final repartee.

Zidane is Zidane. He is a man.He is human being, He is a hero. Materazzi is a FIFA foot-ball player version. All chuukkkk !!

Patrick – how come Australia played such a good footbal, but you support thugs and provocateurs like Materazzi?

Did you forget about what he did in match against you? did you forget what kind of penalty was given to Italians against you?

footbal-fan

I have never supported Materazzi. I just do not believe Zidane is as innocent as you claim. Read all my comments before accusing me of things which I have not said. Do not claim I “support thugs and provocateurs”. Do not denigrate me by such inane puerile statements. You belittle yourself by make false accusations. I remember what he did against Australia, and he did not deserve a red card, but Grosso dived and Italy did not deserve a penalty. I look at the facts and speak objectively. You don’t look at the facts and speak with emotion which clouds your judgment.

what zizou did was harsh but if any sob insult my mother and sister for more than 3 times in a row ……i kick his groin and stuff in my football boots in his asshole…so let the fifa investigate this incident and then we decide whose mother is a whore…

Nicko, just give me the source where you have heard that Zidane said he would have prefered to hit him with his hand??

Source please!
And he did not apologie to his team mates because he already did it after the game. Are you stupid or is it just bad faith??

And remember: I am waiting for you undercovered sources.
Thanks

FORTE

How does it feel to be mocked by Leno who? Letard what?
Honestly I feel…like i don’t give a damn.
BTW are they football expert or something?

zedaine

Ladies and gentleman,

Trash talk is ok when it is just: “you play like a moron…, or fu*k you… or you’r kicking the ball like a pussy…etc”, But when it comes to insulting your family (plus the Zidane’s mother went into hospital the day of the final) it is a bit different.
I know there is a lot of trash talking in a lot of different sport and Zidane probably used it sometimes but if he acted like that with Materazzi it is because the italian dude told him somthing realy bad about his mother and his sister. We will know more in few days.

having 2 sons myself who played the game i have seen many things like this. my son played with pat morris, alex peve and we know bobby convey when he first started.this is a game like any other.you see it in football hocky,basketball, so why the big deal.yes he did wrong he got a red card and hes out.soccer is a very intense sport.i have seen both sides players and fans go at it, this is not the way to play.my son being good they would send 3 guys after him first to try and hurt him if that failed insult him.this guy lost his head. if one of our guys did that in a play off game they were out.to do it in a world cup game is insane.what was he thinking.yes they will insult you to provoke a fight in a game like this one he should have ignored anything said to him.lets not get cought up in this it happpens in every sport played,he was punished and im sure if he could take it back he would.i would not want to be him when he had to face his coach.i dont encourage this behaviour at all.however i believe tyson bit off an ear in the ring and guess what they let him fight again.but that irish kid put him on his ass.so let the games go on without all this news coverage so they can keep there heads in the games.

You can blam e Zizou for 1 year and then everybody will remember him as the great footballer he is (I don’t want come into ranking anybody).

I have a question for our friends from USA: Are you still blaming Jordan after the brawl with Regie Miller (famous trash talker of the Indiana Pacers in NBA?
another question for our English neighbours: do you still blame Cantona for the kick he gave to the dude when he played in ManU? He has been designed as the greatest footballer of the 20th century with Allan Shearer in premierleague.

Maradonna is still considered as the greatest with Pele, I agree but, hehehe, was Maradona an example on the pitch and outside.
Mark my words: all those guy are genius but they are still men tho’, a genius is not a god or an Icone.

Where is the problem.

It is italy we talk about. Diving cheating acting insultting other players it´s part olf their ugly dirty game.

That´s normal. A british study ranked the teams for diving simulations… at this world cup

Guess which team was at the top of that list. Yes you are right it was Italy.

Italy was is and will always be a shame for football and good sportsmanship.

Football is just a reflection of the society and we all know about the “italian” problems.

mah…

Learn to loose! German! You generalize, like always! Grosso/Del Piero! 2-0! Germany raus

@ Stefan

Your rhetorical question is: “Where is the problem?”.

I’ll cut in very early and say it’s with supercilious people like you, who make sweeping statements denigrating a whole league of players only within one country by degrading all – and you unquestionably specify all – by your words “It is Italy we talk about…..their ugly dirty game”. You also say “Italy was is and will always be a shame for football and good sportsmanship”. Wrong, people like you are the shame for football, for your kind are one-eyed, purblind to the truth that there are tough players in all countries, in all clubs, not just in Italy. But Italy and Italian players are not the flavour of the month amongst some people – outside Italy. I do not begrudge Italy’s win. I remember the 1982 final won by Italy and I remember the 1982 game between Italy and Brazil, worthy of being called the true final. It was a game of beauty and still considered one of the greatest games, alongside the Final of 1970 when Italy lost to Brazil. Did Italy play a “dirty game” in these three games, and there are many more I can mention.

An incident happens in this final and the worms come out of the woodwork, condemning, fault-finding and pulling to pieces all Italian players, their style of play, the culture, everything Italian. It is pure racism at its worst.

stefan italy lost only a time….during the 2° war because an idiot named mussolini came with you….do you remember?
the italian problem is our problem and we don’t need your opinion because we have our justice. it’s too easy to offend

ZZ is a crybaby whose head is so inflated he can’t even recognize his mistakes.

What position is it to say you’re sorry but that you don’t regret doing it? That’s not an apology, that’s an incentive for violence.

Remember Totti’s spit against a Danish player 4 years ago? He was provoked by the Dane, but never even mentionned it for his defense. Not one journalist or azzuri fan tried to justify his behaviour. He simply apologised and said it won’t happen again. And it didn’t. That’s what I call a real pro.

ZZ already head-butted Chiesa in 1996, cleaned his shoes on a Saoudi in 1998, head-butted Krientz in 2000 (in that incident he broke the guy’s cheek-bone). Everytime he apologised and said it would never happen again. At least this time we might believe him.

OK, my very first blog. Been reading this nonsense and perhaps a different take is in order. First you Australians, stop bitching. Your country has more class than you guys are demonstrating. You cannot go into a World Cup ranked 32/34th in the world and expect to win it. Get better. Cups are not won or lost on a single referee call. You could have had all the breaks, all the calls go your way and you would have not gotten any farther than you did. Be happy, be proud and get better talent. At least the Ukraine says we got beat by a far superior team and we are a young country and we need to have better players next time. They have an A league that actually matters too.
Arsenal that finished no better than 4th in the Premier League rode Henry’s back to the finals of the Champion’s league. But sooner or later one guy does not make a team. Same for Zidane. Henry did not show up for the final, leaving Zidane against just a better team with a defense that being scored on never occurs to them. One guy cannot win it for you, full stop! They still had their shot in the PK’s. I do not recall any dirty play or ref calls going against France in that.

For my fellow country men or country boys as it seems in The States who are waxing on with their hits on Italy and Materazzi. I have been living in Italy for some time having come from 2 years in Paris. I know these players. Get a perspective so you can write something knowledgeable or at least intelligent about a sport before you comment. I played this game for 8 years at a level a little higher than your spectator comments. No one wants to read your take from your experience of Mommy taking you in the SUV to the biddy soccer meets. In sports, talking and trying to get the goat of your opponent is part of the game. Agree or not it just is. I am sure you would be in shock to find out what is really is being said under those helmets in the NFL, or what the catcher is saying to the batter under his or Hack a Shaq? Wow you mean they say really insulting things to players to get them out of their game? Yes, Little Jimmy they do. These players are all Pros at the level of our NBA, NFL and MLB. We are the only country I am aware of that fields some amateurs on our team. So they play like pros. Just win baby!
So, stop talking like this is the NCAA Tournament.

The Italian league is having its turn at scandal. Not the first or last time for this kind of thing. Too much money, too much pressure and very short playing careers. Brazil, Germany, Spain and more have had their’s too. Sad but this is Italy’s turn but this does not make the players cheaters or the win tarnished. I love the guy with the asterisk comment. Save that for Pete Rose. I watched these guys all play in their A leagues and they all play hard and Materazzi gets his lunch handed to him often, bounces up and keeps on going. You run hard for over a 100 minutes and have someone headbutt you in the heart area and maybe that might just get you the big red card from the game of life!!
Gee, he said some very bad things to me so I think I will loose my head and put his life in jeopardy. Red card for Zidane? You bet your ass red card and well deserved! Stop making him a Saint and watch some games of him with Real Madrid. Oh yes forgot one of you guys’ lasting memory is McBride walking off with his head bleeding from an elbow to get ice and a bandage. Hmmm if only this was water ballet so this kind of stuff wouldn’t offend your sensitive nature. Do you guys cover your eyes in hockey games?

Germany took out Argentina a favorite to win it all and France took out Brazil another favorite loaded with superstars. Italy beat them both to win the cup. They played through Host Country insults, constant hissing, jeering and cheering at actual Italian injuries by the German crowd. Did they cry about it like some of you babies? No, they cowboyed up and did what they needed to do.
Questions? No?
Ok then why don’t you kids in The States get on with the business of Summer School and try doing your homework in study hall and get off the library computers. You mean some of you are actually out of High School and out in the world? Then grow up, get a life, get a brain and get out of California.

just play football and not cursing somebody’s mother or sister.

those who play and win with dirty words are low class players. be ethical and do have some self respect, be humane.

i just pity zidane eventhough he and france are not my favourite. we just have to be fair to him as we hope people will be fair to us.

Wow trader, your comment is perfect!!!

@Trader:
I agree with you. Enjoyed reading your comment.

Hey Trader,
What the hell. Were you inside my mind or what. Well put dude.
I too played at a high level, even got some action in Italy on a regional squad and let me tell you, some pretty nasty things get said back and forth…and not just by the players. “If you can’t take the heat..get out of the kitchen”. This is what my brother always told me when I was playing. The best players always get it verbaly. Suck it up and move on. By the way these words are never meant personally, there just meant to get you off your game.

World Deserves Zidane’s Headbutt

Classic Zidane. Albeit he’s calm and shy persona lie a true warrior who descended from Algeria ruled by France for 132 years, born in French soil and grew in a tough environment outside Marseilles. Because of Zidane, Algeria learned to blind …

Tony — it’s easy for you to say it’s not meant personally, but different people have different emotional status at a given moment, and Zidane’s mother was at the hospital that time.

If I was in that situation, the very least I could do is break his nose.

I agree with you that nasty things are said back and forth, I did play a very nasty game before that ended with blood all over the place and dead people lying on the ground. Materazzi was lucky he only got a headbutt.

That’s why you don’t play football nor are you considered a professional Milo Riano…what your talking about is fighting not trash talking on a field. Why did zee great Zidane smash that guys face and crush another guys toes? Why doesn’t he mouth back at them (he speaks perfect Italian and French and probably more)? Zee great artiste my balls…GIVE CANNAVARRO THE GOLDEN BALL FIFA!!!

How many of you really think that the foul words came from just one end?? I mean come on! both parties were insulted!

Next time someone insults me in a match I knock him…… great going! Blame materazzi all you want but all this talking is because it is zidane.. all mighty… no one said derossi was provoked for the 2nd most stupid thing a player did in the world cup when he elbowed the american did they? of course not…… talk or no talk violence is degrading, especially in a final of a world cup with a slogan “a time to make friends”???!!

@ Milo Riano

“dead people lying on the ground”!
Were you playing this game in a civilized country?

“Henry did not show up for the final, leaving Zidane against just a better team with a defense that being scored on never occurs to them.”–trader

Quick correction here: Henry did show up for the game, but was knocked senseless in the first couple of minutes. Who know what would have happened otherwise?

could have, would have, should have…it didn’t.
If Nesta played, we wouldn’t be having this discussion, but he did not play. The outcome is what it is.

you can visit world cup 2006 photos @ http://farshid.farhat.googlepages.com/world.cup.2006.germany

@Alleze les Bleus
“Henry did show up for the game, but was knocked senseless in the first couple of minutes. Who know what would have happened otherwise?” — Henry received the top prize for most fouls made.

@those who condemn italians as a WHOLE and exonerate Zidane for his red-card.

You guys are really pitiful. Why? Had this act of head-butting been done by any other (any other) player in this tournament, you would have no problem in agreement to the red card punishment.

Unfortunately in this case, it was Zidane. And you cannot accept it. For some folks who are more fair-minded, they would say that Zidane deserves it, but argues materazzi still is reponsible for provoking him. For those who are in self-denial, they even approved of ZIdane’s action and blames ALL italians for being racist, cheats, nipples-pinchers etc..

Why are you behaving in this way you may ask? Coz you made Zidane into a fairtale hero with no faults when in actuality he is just a human being. You chose to ignore his track record of being physical coz you desperately needed to make a hero out of him for the finals competition.

And when he slips (again, yes for the umpteen times), you desperately scrambled to make sense of it.

Why dont you folks petition to FIFA? OPen an inquiry into materazzi. If he is found guilty of an offence, then he deserves to be penalized by Fifa. End of story. Also open an inquiry into Italian team and if they are found guilty of “diving”, “cheating”, “insulting”, “pinching” etc, then let fifa strip them of the WC title.

Theres no need to whine, nor find excuse to cover up or to lessen his guilt. Fact is, Zidane has committed an offence deserving of a sent off. Accept the fact and move on from here.

You people are crazy. Insults are nothing.

One American columnist noted it would be a news item if an American football or basketball game ended with no insults being traded. American sports fans may have fun with traded insults, but understand it’s all unimportant, and tantrums just silly.

Zidane made the decision to react stupidly to silly words, then appropriately paid a price.

And that’s all, except Italy won the World Cup. Congratulations, Italy, and well done!!

Trader and Tony you’re right. Materazzi gets killed in Italy and he never reacted like this bum. I reject Zidane’s hollow apology and the people in France who defend him.

By the way, you want class? LOok at how the Italians showed restraint. They could have made a brawl of that but didn’t. I think the fact that Buffon, Gattuso and Zambrotta are friends with Zidane had something to do with that. Look at Cannavaro’s reaction. It says it all. “What are you doing you stupid idiot?” Was there a more classy and tougher player than Cannavaro in 2006? Tha picture says a lot.

People defending Zidane should just shut up. What he did was wrong and he deserved his punishment.

I agree with Alex.
The Italians showed a lot of restraint, and not a lot of people has mentinoned it here and elsewhere…

Zidane made a very big mistake, he lost his mind, he paid for it.

Unfortunately, his team, his teammates on the field, and France paid for his stupid behavior too. It was very selfish of him. He doesn’t give a crap of what the other think of his action. See, did he apologize on tv? did he apologize to his teammates? to France? Why didn’t you just admitted that you lost your mind! I mean how much do you think this french TV channel paid him for the interview? Why didn’t he just made a public statement at the french team headquater?
Damn!
Get lost man!

No matter what Materazzi said to you, your teammates, the WC final, and France came way before your stupid honor! You could always have headbutted the guy after the game to avenge you honor, your sister’s honor, your mom’s honor, your grandmom’s honor…
F.ck U man!

From a frenchy living in the US.

Trader, Malaika and Anti-whiner:

Your comments make full sense to me.

As I said before, I don’t even care what Zidane did, I am just angry that instead of celebrating a sport event, we have to spend our time addressing this idiocy.

Grow up Zidane! You make $560,000 a month, buy yourself some shrink time.

Materazzi is known as Matrix (I didn’t understand why until I saw the videos of him in the past) but he had actually behaved this World Cup. All to have it end with this stupid crap.

NEWS:
All coaches tell their defenders to grab attackers when they defend. Watch some games of ANY team and you’ll see the same grabbing Materazzi was doing.

ANOTHER PIECE OF NEWS:
Zidane dissed Materazzi by treating him like he was a little kid longing for his shirt. Is that what Zidane was talking about in the interview when he said that everybody always pays attention at the reaction but not the provocation? Yes, Zidane. Had you kept your arrogant mouth shut, maybe Materazzi wouldn’t have opened his.

And Stefan:
I love many countries I have been to and I met people from other countries I haven’t been to. This is a soccer blog, don’t vomit your crap about Italy here, do it at the bar with your trash-talking racist friends, OK?

Oh, Stefan: Those Italian cheaters won against Germany 4-1 (before World Cup) and 2-0 (at World Cup). They are a hell of a cheater band!

One last word: SOS Racisme, the organization that announced it had reliable sources to say Materazzi had made racial slurs at Zidane, must be a really serious organization…

CHEATALIA CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WON THE CUP! FOOTBAL LOST! CHEATALIANS!

Footbal-fan is a RACIST! He makes racists remarks at ALL ITALIANS. Lets headbutt him!

“…NO TIME FOR LOSERS…CAUSE WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS….
OF THE WORRRRRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLLLLLDD..”

Hey footbal-fan…c’mon over to our side, no rivers of tears over here…

210 comments and guess what? Italy is still World Cup champions.

My advice to the French is quit crying and start getting ready for the next campaign. My advice to the Australians is to quit whining and get ready for the next campaign. Actually, my advice to the world is, no surprise, quit whining and get ready for the next campaign.
Injuries, bad calls, and trash-talking are part of the game, like it or not. If a team is so reliant on one single player that his absence makes all the difference, then you don’t belong there anyway.

FOR PEOPLE TAHT SPEAKS ABOUT ITALIAN RACISM!!

Why people speaks without knowing what’s real happened?

Materazzi haven’t said terrorist…algerian…or other thing that people hope that he said!

This is the the real racism, versus ITALY! In these days many have said most ugly things to the Italians!

I’m tired!

If Materazzi it had given the head to Zidane, it would have been spoken about provocation? about racism? NO
you would have only spoken about the bad Italian man!!!

They have discussed,Zidane was the first to speak, Materazzi has said something about his sister (not a good thing but I think that it can happen during a match) but zidane instead answering or ignore it, has reacted with the headbutt. It has mistaken, nothing excuses.

I’m Italian and I’m not racist as all italian people!

I’m also WORLD CHAMPION!!!

ITALY WAS THE BEST TEAM IN ALL THE WC!

You don’t like us, for me no problem!

Bye

CHETALIA CONGRATS! YOU WON! VIVA CHETALIA!

Keepcrying! I am on YOUR SIDE! CHEATALIA! YOU WON! BRAVO! GOOD GAME! VIVA CHEATALIA! AND YOU KILLED FOOTBALL! BRAVO!

Oh, God! He insulted Zidane’s mother and siter during a soccer match! What a scandal! Let’s re-do the world cup all over again?!

Gimme a break you french people, get real!

football fan,

U r very right. Lets rename Italia as CHEATALIA.

Max you are so funny! Come join us on Veni, Vidi, Vici… we would love your input!

Even the soccer players in the slums of Africa don’t use dirty words when playing as did by Materazzi. Seems the blood of the infamous Italian mafia runs in him. Villain !

Allez Les Bleus!, Henry was knocked senseless? ha ha ha! He ran into Cannavaro cause he wasnt looking… no foul called cause no foul done…

hello pragyan,

im indian. u dare to say that for someone else??? we indians r so foul mouthed ourselves. ur telling me u dont here “chutiya” everyday atleast once???!!!

aw! cmon off it. whats the big deal..players do it all the time. looks like ur new to football…im sure u’ve heard of cricket, havent u? ur telling us they dont insult on the field???!!!!

ur a joke, man!

Imagine:

Ur mother is a cancer patient.

She has been admitted in the hospital.

U r playing with a world full of stress.

Someone constantly plays foul.

Someone insults ur dying mother.

What is ur “ignition point” ?

Forget ur nationality, and answer the question. Put urself in Zidane’s shoes.

Pia,

Remember that was a World Cup Match. An International Sporting Event. Verbal provocation ought to be checked on such grandiose occasions.

my fellow countrymen have a lot of imagination , i must i admit.

Maybe, but people tend to understand less and judge more.

Imagaine: the only way to defend a senseless action is to use an excuse not befitting a child.

Also imagine: In defense of said action, you resort to racism and verbal abuse, the very same things you are trying to blame the senseless action on.

Don’t imagine: that either footbal-fan or Pragyan have a clue what they or talking about.

pragyan,

oh so u really think that this was the first time someone did that?
ofcourse, rooney the hooligan was not provoked.
ofcourse zidane didnt get 14 red cards in his career.
ofcourse no honourable french man would have dared to do it.

ofcourse zidane himself has never done it:)

instead of fuelling this stupid debate, just stand up for the righteous winners!

u still hv to answer me on the criket bit…

shaun,u rock!

Materazzi has confessed on being caught by lip-readers. Has someone done that in Cricket. Do let me know.

Well, its really funny to find people posting under the banners of countries to which they do not belong. Indians posting from France, Italians from Japan. Come on, don’t hide behind the flags of other countries.

i dont need to answer u, u just answered my previous question. thanks.

well, get ur facts right: M confessed even before the lip reading came on. but by then this whole cr** had taken another turn: bcoz ppl were using the words terrorist and the rest of it b4 anything was proved.

so according to u its only bad when ur caught and have to confess? hmm…thats a good point though. bcoz if we get into lip reading in the history of football then many ppl ..a bloody many ppl will hv to pay for it. incl mr.ZZZZZZZZ

ITALIA HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY RENAMED TO CHEATALIA!

VIVA CHEATALIA, NEW WORLD CHAMPIONS!

Beatiful footbal played by French and Brazilians is dead!

CHEATALIA RULES!

ritu,

ppl can be moving in other parts of the world. maybe u hvnt figured yet that the aircraft was invented a while ago.

Hello Ritu,

U have made a nice point. Even I am taking notice of that now.

Pia,

Do tell me about the cric stuff. U know better.

What a bunch of phoniy big shot,loud mouth tough guys on this post.I see all these jerks posting thingsa like “what about if materazzi said that about your mother,what would you do”?.I would walk away from any A-hole spuing garbage with the intent to drag me into a fight and pretend I didn’t hear him and make him look like the fool.This is becasue I have a brain and know how to use it.There is a time and place for everything.The fool Zidane really made a big mistake and now he is trying to justify his foolish schoolyard tactics by saying the provoker is at fault.If Zidane went away and continued playing he wouldn’t have to be make excuses today.So materazzi said something he didn’t like.He should have ignored him and comtinued to play the game which should have been more important to him that his so called honor.What honor.Zidane you made yourseld look like a thug.And they call the Italians mafia!Grow up and act like the man you claim to be first before anything else.A man doesn’t do what you did.A thug does.You grew up on the mean streets of Marsaille and I guess you are still there.Try to evolve into an intelligent human being and also take the blame for what you did.A real man would do that.

Football fan is a sore loser with the emphasis on loser!

Hey Ritu,no one is hiding the flags come up automatically based on your email.There are people of different ethnic groups in countries other than their home country.For instance there are many people from India right here in Queens,N.Y. And by the way, you are a racist making those statements about the mafia running through Materazzis blood.Shame on you.

Late response. Dozzzz……ing off !

Take care, soccer-buffs.

pragyan,you are a fool,but then again that doesn’t surprise me.

pragyan,

u deserve to go, u’ve earned it.

RIMBRI YOU ARE A REAL MAN! I AM PROUD OF YOU! REAL REAL MAN!

HONOR IS SOMETING THAT ONLY REAL MAN LIKE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND!

hey can anybody start a blog on how limp wristed footbal-fan is

awwww football fan… this whole world cup win has really got ur panties in a twist. advice? get off of the internet and get a date. ur a real arrogant boor just like ur hero.

What a crybaby …… Soccer players all over the world must be laughing out loud at him…..
Materazzi insulted his mother and sister ( that’s his side of the story )I’m sure that in the 20 years he has been playing soccer,this is a first time he heard this … his poor virgin ears… give me a break !!!!!!
he just couldn’t score legitimatly and the referee wasn’t about to give him another penalty kick…..so bing the French buffoon that he his… he head butts Materazzi..
That is so easy to do when someone isn’t ready for it.If someaone had done that to him…France would have waged war on Italy…… wait a minute..The French are cowards…

ronaldo what u need to understand is that he has been a victem to racism living in france by the closed french society for half of his life. if he werent a good soccer player hed be right there buring paris down like the rest of the poor people france treats like lowlives. racism prevails in france like no place else.

donna, what you need to understand is…
ZIDANE & FRENCH TEAM = LOSERS

luigi, pay attention…. i know that!

very funny football fan…. i love it

FRANCE ARE THE BIGGEST SORE LOSERS!

AGREE with footbal-fan. CHEATALIA RULES!

A French lawyer is planning to start legal proceesigns to declare the result of the WC final void.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-5949034,00.html

Napoleon, Italy won WITHOUT dignity. I am not French – I am of Chinese descent but live in Australia. In fact, I have some Italian friends and I don’t know any French people. Facts are facts. Cheatalia rules – see what Grosso did to Australia too.

fuc*k italy
italian male loves to suck a d*ck

World Cup Awards:
PLAYER OF THE WORLD CUP: Zidane

Biggest cheat of the worldcup: Materazzi. He just can’t win fair and square.

I bet you can play the violin, Kruman, but only one tune, eh? The reason I say this is you keep on repeating your statements over, and over, and over, in all posts. They are getting a bit boring to read. Can’t you come up with something new. How about a conspiracy theory between the Italian team, the referees and FIFA to take away the cup from the GREAT French team.

I leave that for you Roger.

Your speculation about the breaking out of the next world war over this incidence tops all!

check out the new craze ZZ has inspired:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=js0vOgjBfD8&search=%22A%20New%20Way%20to%20Solve%20Problems%22

Don’t forget how preofessional sports started. The Roman emperors started pro sports to keep the masses occupied.

nice one nicko

there’s a spanish one aswell if you look for ‘a new way to solve problems’ on youtube, includes a nice use on a vending machine …

Nicko,
I used to go to google videos. Hey, youtube is pretty good too.

So Aussies have developed quite a passion for football? I thought the Aussies were a pretty good team.

Kruman, you misrepresent me by saying “Your speculation about the breaking out of the next world war over this incidence tops all!”

It was a tongue-in-cheek proposition on how far you are going with this Zidane-Mazeratti incident/conspiracy, but it seems to have gone way over your head.

But your hope that Italy will be stripped of its World Cup win by saying that “A French lawyer is planning to start legal proceesigns to declare the result of the WC final void” is a doozy.

Seems to me Zidane was frustrated cuz the Italians were all over him, shut him down. afterall the only goal they got in regular time was on a PK.

Face it folks he snapped. He has done it two times before I think. He has a checkered past when it comes to yellow and red cards in international play.

FIFA errored in giving him the gold ball. His performance wasnt that good. Perhaps they thought it would have been an nice send off. Had they made the selection after the game he surely would not have recievd it. To late now. FIFA wants to draw attention away from this so he will keep the ball no doubt.

As for his contract with addidas, Im astonished that he still has it. I for one cant support a sponsor and buy their product when they associate themselves with a person that cant keep his composure, regardless of what another player said to him.

Nice temper, wonder how things are at home? What is he teaching his kids? Dont like what someone says so bash him!

Sorry Roger, I am neither Materazzi nor Zidane ….

keep babbling, head-butting, whatever …

the annoying thing about youtube and the google beta videos is that the video doesn’t get cached and you can’t save it, so if you want to watch it twice with a break inbetween it sucks away all your bandwidth :-(

as for football/soccer, aussies will always support an aussie team, it could be the international one armed pig eating contest for all we care … and if we lost, we’d still blame the ref :-P !

I must admit, whatever the Aussies do they do it well, Cricket, Rugby, Squash, Football, blogging:)

The skeptic in me notes how much money we put into sports and also the ‘entertaining the masses’ comment you made earlier …

blogging on the other hand is grossly underfunded :-)

Good night nicko, nice talking to you mate!

On a final not, there are allegedly programs that let you save google/youtube videos that you view on the internet.

I heard this from a friend a while ago. Maybe google/youtube have gotten too smart now.

Kruman,

I don’t headbutt, your idol does that.

FRANCE ARE PATHETIC LOSERS!!!

the head butt game!

Good to see zidane is becoming the BUTT of all jokes, ha ha ha ha

http://addictinggames.com/zidaneheadbuttgame.html

Roger,
Kruman was right, you really are a true “Materazzi”.

Romario, you are Kruman using another name, same words, same address, same nonsensical statement.

Good on you Zidane. You did a M-a-r-v-e-o-l-l-o-u-s job. You should have head-butted the whole Italian team. They play dirty.

mika your a whore 11111
get zidane to headbuttttt me

Sore losers, go headbutt zidane. He made u lose face, stupid. Now u have to struggle to justify his action. Yeah, fools!

Zidane, is right to behave the way he i behaving because we dont know what happened between the two. It may be true his mother and sister were insulted but now the other fellow is denying. So Zidane OOyee.

I think Zidane headbutted to save France face…they couldn’t score a REAL goal, they were frustrated so he went out in a blaze….nice try ZZ, France STILL got hammered…enjoy zee retirement….

In the end, Zidane’s actions will do more for the good of soccer/football than if he continued to ignore Materazzi’s insults. It has brought to light the uglier side of world cup soccer, which includes the racial insults, dirty play and all the melodramatic BS that many teams use to gain advantage and undeserved victories. I would love to see this incident bring about some rule changes in the future, including replays for fouls (or alleged fouls) inside the penalty area and coaches’ challenge flags to enable them to force the officials to review a certain number of plays, like all the fake dives taken by so many of the players nowadays (an art that the Italians and Portuguese have mastered by the way). Zidane is a world class athlete, perhaps the best of all time in his sport and his actions will not diminish his stature. He was and remains a hero to many, including many of us over here in the U.S. France road on his shoulders just to play in that game, and he did not disappoint; not me anyway. As a footballer myself, I know the taunts and comments often made during the heat of a battle on the field and those, if used, should remain between player and player. Materazzi initially claimed to not have said anything to provoke Zidane; now he admits to some provoking comments. Well, I’m sure he will continue to backtrack on his story as he’s a liar and a cheat in my book and got what he deserved. Yes, Zidane should definitely have been red-carded, but I, for one, am glad he stood up for his family and his origin, regardless of the stage he was on.

Jesus Christ and Zinedine Zidane —- two of the greatest Arabs ever born in this world.

After Jesus of Palestine, its Zidane from Algeria who is the greatest Arab to be born in this world.

PLEASE!!! Zinedine Zidane is known as a great player, the leader of his team, and one of the best in the world. However, a man with the amount of experience he has, should know that trash talking goes on between players every game. I have lost all my respect for him. Whether what was said or not, he should not have intentionally hurt another player, under any circumstances, whatsoever. Seriously, who would stoop so low to do that? … Someone who is desperate, and seriously lacking slef control.

A most objective article has been written in today’s Sydney Morning Herald about Zidane. It’s worth a read. The website is:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/je-taime-zizou/2006/07/14/1152637868440.html

Bravo Kevin… I agree…

bruce,

objective article??? yeah if your a mainstream yobo.. this one is more apt..

http://wc2006.telegraph.co.uk/Document.aspx?id=4BB6765F-2BDB-4D2B-9E08-1D46FF6B53F6

this article is great on zidane issue!

http://wc2006.telegraph.co.uk/Document.aspx?id=4BB6765F-2BDB-4D2B-9E08-1D46FF6B53F6

i was in italy and they were chanting: “la madre di Zidane e’ una puttana, una Putttana,PUTTANA!” hahaha it was pretty funny, but yeah man, everybody talks trash on the football field… materazzi didn’t do anything that hasn’t been done before…and plus- Zidane’s sister is a whore
FORZA ITALIA

If the headbutting is done by an unknown player (instead of Zidane) — you wont be as zealous as you are now to say that the man “stands up for his mother and sister and etc. etc.”.

In football there are rules. Regardless of your stature! Whether you are big timer or small fry the rules apply to everyone. If Materazzi is found guilty by fifa, then he deserves to be punished accordigly by fifa. By the same token, Zidane has been found guilty of the offence, and being sent-off. You can say it was unfortunate. But you cannot say that he has not done any wrong. i say again, if this guy isnt Zidane, you wouldnt be so worked up defending his action.

Anti-whiner,
If the provocation had not been so balatant I would not be siding with Zidane.

I believe both Materazzi and Zidane realized they both had done some thing wrong in the incident. I wish they would apologize to each other. Materazzi may want to make the first move and he sure will get the positive respond. Its not difficult to say sorry. Its more difficult to accept the apologize.
After all, there are only opponents and friends in football, there are no hatred and no enemies.

I have another wish. I would like to see The Palestine plays the Israelis in football. Materazzi and Zidane may want to jointly sponsor such a match. If they could not get the Palestinian and Israelis adult team to play. They could start from the kids or women player. Kids and Women are the most suffered victims of any war.
BALI with all her unique culture and peaceful environment may be the best venue for such an event.

Let’s make the world more beautiful therough football.

Any one?

“Materazzi initially claimed to not have said anything to provoke Zidane; now he admits to some provoking comments. Well, I’m sure he will continue to backtrack on his story as he’s a liar and a cheat in my book”

Can you cite this cuz I dont believe it. I read an article about Materazzi’s statement on it all. He said that he was pulling on Zidane’s shirt and then Zidane had said “If you really want my shirt you can have it after the game.” Then he said he said something back but it was nothing about a terrorist since he doesnt know what that is and nothing about his mother because mothers are scared to him. He didn’t say what, but it was a lot more information then we have STILL gotten out of Zidane.

*sacred.

Not scared

Even if Materazzi is cretino, what Zidane did is part of a long muslim tradition to respond with violence to anything they would consider an insult. Zidane’s mother wnats Materazzi’s balls chopped and given to her on a platter. Nobody takes it seriously but I am positive that she does

zidane is right…
bravooooo zidane…

Shame on you Maria, you are promoting Materazzi values: bashingreliogious denominations, racist remarks, provocation.

This is why we support Zidane, he has becaome a symbol of fight against racism, thuggery, religious bashing and hyprocrisy.

Please leave the dark side.

Hey, butt head, I agree with everything in the article, but don’t get personal with your “mainstream yobo”. If I had read the Telegraph article before the SMH article I would have mentioned that one first. Give the advice to Kruman the cyclops who thinks Zidane, the demi-god and angel-in-disguise, doesn’t fart or smell.

kruman,
zidane has become the symbol of fight against racism? no racist words were spewn out of marcos mouth!

fight against thuggery? he was the thug CLEARLY!

fight against religeous bashing? who bashed his religeon??

fight against hypocrisy? living in france he should be very used to hyprocrites!

This is the best article to date:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1152654613877&call_pageid=1044529386722&col=1044529386490

Hey Zidane is just human being, don’t deify him.

But his head butt shook the world.
It was not a head-but to just a chest pinching thug.

It was a head-but to racial slurs rampant in the game. It was a head-but to the hypocrisy that is rampant in our societies today.

To Kevin and to Kruman. Thank you for your insightful comments.

To the rest,
whether you like it or not, Zidane is the Better player. His actions are only a response to the trash-talking cheat that is called Materazi. Italy has “won” the WC by focusing on this “win at all cost” mentality. But no respect to how it was won.
A dirty insult such as those made are just as bad as a hit on the chest. Zidane defended his honor, something Materazzi I doubt even knows what it means!!!

Great piece of writing Kevin, written from the heart. Donna please read every word carefully. If you don’t get it keep reading. I am hoping you’ll finally see the light.

“In the end, Zidane’s actions will do more for the good of soccer/football than if he continued to ignore Materazzi’s insults. It has brought to light the uglier side of world cup soccer, which includes the racial insults, dirty play and all the melodramatic BS that many teams use to gain advantage and undeserved victories. I would love to see this incident bring about some rule changes in the future, including replays for fouls (or alleged fouls) inside the penalty area and coaches’ challenge flags to enable them to force the officials to review a certain number of plays, like all the fake dives taken by so many of the players nowadays (an art that the Italians and Portuguese have mastered by the way). Zidane is a world class athlete, perhaps the best of all time in his sport and his actions will not diminish his stature. He was and remains a hero to many, including many of us over here in the U.S. France road on his shoulders just to play in that game, and he did not disappoint; not me anyway. As a footballer myself, I know the taunts and comments often made during the heat of a battle on the field and those, if used, should remain between player and player. Materazzi initially claimed to not have said anything to provoke Zidane; now he admits to some provoking comments. Well, I’m sure he will continue to backtrack on his story as he’s a liar and a cheat in my book and got what he deserved. Yes, Zidane should definitely have been red-carded, but I, for one, am glad he stood up for his family and his origin, regardless of the stage he was on.”

“After Jesus of Palestine, its Zidane from Algeria who is the greatest Arab to be born in this world.”

Ron, for your kind information Jesus was of semitic origin.

Zidane is not an Arab, he is of Berber descent.

Kruman,

I love the way all these guys bait ! U sure know how to keep the fire burning, man!

Nawaf,

No wonder u guys are bombing the world. Latest on the target: Bombay!did someone from Bombay insult your mothers and sisters? Did you see the poor guys hanging out from the trains?

Stop this hypocritic attitude and go do some work where it really matters, instead of fuelling fires on WC blogs.

Shame to all those who want words to be met with violence. I’m not pro-Materazzi , but all u guys r pushing the limits. The world is already a bad place, don’t make it worst with all your hatred.

Keep u up

Sara,
Please take it lightly. You guys won the cup. Now you need to put up with some light-hearted fun and Materazzi bashing off course :)

There is not even a single Italian who will stand up to support the guy, what do you expect from Zidane fans. Materazzi messed with a lion, he is going to pay.

Kruman

Kruman,

Well said! We don’t stand up for wrong acts. The same way italy didnt defend Totti after he spat, we can be objective bcoz we love the game more than “the honour of one man” .

I’m sure the french are doubly proud of his mum now who wants M’s balls on a platter. Oh man that was grotesque! I thot they would have taught his mum how to conduct herself with journalits around. If my mum said that I would drown myself!!!

M bashing, we’re doing it ourselves ;)

Any takers?

ps: did u see Valentino Rossi tee today??? That guys a number!

First there was Pele.
Then came Maradona.
Now the new king of football is Zidane.

Kings of Football:
1958 – 1970: The rule of Pele
1982 – 1990: Maradona aided by the had of God
1994-2006: Zinedine the Zidane

Kings of Football:
1958 – 1970: The rule of Pele
1982 – 1990: Maradona aided by the hand of God
1994-2006: Zinedine the Zidane

i see you only post as it suits u.

Note: Maradona and Zidane played the best part of their careers in Italy. Doesnt say anything to u does it.

Nawaf,
The Materazzi forces resort to religious bashing and provocation. Never mind the Materazzi forces.

Kruman,

Ur a fraud! Keep going!

ps: be careful i think this gu takes it seriously ;)

lolol..looking at the last few posts, he’s not quite baiting..its only you and me now :)

Sara,
I am sorry. Even though we have made out peace I can’t let those kind of comments go unanswered.

I’m signing off, buddy.Just don’t invoke too much hatred in my absence, though:)

See you later.

Good Article By Michael Coren I wanted to share with everyone

So multi-millionaire soccer play Zinedine Zidane is not a spoiled brat with a temper but an oppressed and misunderstood victim of racist abuse and insults to his family.

Poor soul. Until the middle of last week we all thought he had lost his temper with Italy’s Marco Materazzi and head-butted him in the chest merely because he has problems controlling his anger.

But no. According to the French midfield star’s supporters he was merely reacting to vile insinuations about his Algerian parentage and the links between Arabs and international terrorism.

Well, that explains it then and makes everything okay. Because if anyone makes even the most fatuous racist comment the wronged party has every right to do whatever he wants.

Racism being, of course, the worst sin in the history of the world.

Aside from the fact that Materazzi denies making comments about Zidane’s family or race — and thuggish soccer players never lie — it is quite extraordinary that a man can be transformed from horror to hero merely because of a few words.

His action was wrong. Wrong before the alleged explanation and wrong now. He clearly had time to consider what was said, to run several yards and then to move forward to deliver his attack. Which, by the way, probably left little more than a slight bruise on the prostrate Italian.

Problem is, Zidane has been thrown out of games in the past and has always had a nasty streak. He was shown a Red Card against Saudi Arabia some years ago, and it would be a stretch to think that his actions were the result of some Islamaphobic remark from a Saudi Arabian!

There is also the deeper issue of the false excuse of racism.

A black teenager dressing and acting so as to provoke people who then cries racism when stopped by a police officer.

An African dictator alleging racism when criticized by the West for human rights violations.

An Arab regime using torture and terror and then blaming imperialism for its failings. Anti-social attitudes forgiven because of historical injustices.

As for Monsieur Zidane, he has been lionized rather than victimized in France for his North African heritage. Presidents, parliaments, press and people have built him up as the shining example of French multiculturalism.

Which is complete and utter nonsense. When the French soccer team played Algeria there were several thousand French youths of Algerian descent in the stadium who booed the Marseillaise, cheered the Algerian anthem and then chanted al-Qaida slogans throughout the game.

Similar attitudes were shown when other young French men from the former Arab and African colonies torched cars, looted stores and beat up innocent people in the name of liberation and the fight against racism.

There is no doubt that they were not always treated properly by their adopted home but the idea that people become gangsters and terrorists so easily is ridiculous.

Misguided ideas of racial superiority exist in all ethnic groups and institutionalized racism is far more common today in countries outside of Europe and North America. Indeed in Canada it could be argued that individual racism is at least as common among minority groups as it is in white majorities.

But to even suggest such a thing could lead to me being called a racist.

Don’t worry. I won’t be head-butting anybody. And being an England fan, I probably won’t be anywhere near a World Cup final either.

I really think most of this world cup was not fair, I will explain why, but first I think Zidane did what was right, look, when the world cup started the theme was “Down with Racism”, now how can we all ignore this Italian boy. Finally I think the referees did not even care for a fair World Cup, otherwise there had their results figured out before the games. Imagine the Germany vs Agentina game. I wouldn’t understand a fool telling me about the “HOST COUNTRY”, BULLSHIT. Then why not call the world cup either European Cup or Host Cup.

read ur lil article kruman and i repeat:

zidane has become the symbol of fight against racism? no racist words were spewn out of marcos mouth!

fight against thuggery? he was the thug CLEARLY!

fight against religeous bashing? who bashed his religeon??

fight against hypocrisy? living in france he should be very used to hyprocrites!

kruman? ur dismissed!

Kasets,

I totally agree with your post. It so true. If any idiot looks at this objectively, you can only laugh and pity the man who lost his temper for 2 split seconds. But then he can’t be excused.

I know Kruman will be here posting his 2 bit soon. Kruman, really don’t do this. U know this is not right. Even if some of us are having fun there are others out there who take this blog highly seriously.

Pls, Kruman, pls.

Verdict of an impartial Scott:
http://sport.scotsman.com/football.cfm?id=1034022006

“Kasets,

I totally agree with your post. It so true. If any idiot looks at this objectively, you can only laugh and pity the man who lost his temper for 2 split seconds. But then he can’t be excused.

I know Kruman will be here posting his 2 bit soon. Kruman, really don’t do this. U know this is not right. Even if some of us are having fun there are others out there who take this blog highly seriously.

Pls, Kruman, pls. ”

Ok Sara, I didn’t post m views. Now can I quote Int’l press or not?

zidane, maradona and pele were the best football players in the history of football so i think that it isn’t fair the red carton to zizou

—–Zidane hits Materazzi—–
Press and journalists and Chirac: poor Zidane.. he is a man, the guilty is that bastard italian that provoked him

—–Materazzi hits Zidane—–
Press and journalists and Chirac:
Those bastards italians are not able to play football and have to headbutt great players

YOU HYPOCRITES !!!!
SHAME ON YOU!!!
YOU ETERNAL LOSERS !!!!

First of all I would like to show my appreciation and respect to all the intelligent, reasonable and generous French people I have come across on internet blogs in the last few days. You’ve been posting congratulations to us Italians (your transalpine cousins! – we are not all that different after all!). This despite the fact it cannot have been easy to see your national team lose to us on penalties, after having played so well in the final. What can I say – now you know how us Italians felt in 1998 and then in 2000! As an Italian woman who enjoys the World Cup immensely, the kind French comments of the last few days that I’ve come across on the internet have meant a lot to me, as they dissipate the impression of a puerile “us and them” rivalry going between France and Italy (an impression also fuelled by the sensationalist media). This is a rivalry that has never really existed in any field except in some restricted pockets and to a rather bland extent. In the last few days, especially as a result of the ugly yet risible Zidane/Materazzi incident, the internet Francophiles have had a field day spewing the most despicable and prejudiced anti-Italian venom, while the Italophiles did likewise against the French (though my impression is that on the whole, France is more respected, while Italy is subjected to a kind of abuse that would rightly be condemned as unacceptable for publication on a public forum, had the same extent of stereotyping and abuse been applied to another human category – say, black people or Jews. No, I’m not talking about negative comments strictly relating to the Italians’ style of football-playing – if only!).

I must say I have always had a fondness for Zidane and was never overly keen on Materazzi. However, the elevation to sainthood of the French footballer, who is notoriously short-tempered, is ridiculous. Likewise, the way so many bloggers have instantly assumed Materazzi’s provocation was racist in nature makes me wonder whether the human race is indeed doomed to stupidity. Wouldn’t it have been so perfectly topical in our touchy, defensive, sensation-loving, post-Sept 11th society if Materazzi had called a French football players of Muslim descent a terrorist? The perfect controversy that would have turned out to be! Alas, Materazzi’s slur against the alleged easy virtue of Zidane’s female sibling was so groan-inducingly banal, so anti-climatic in nature, I wonder who would bother to still believe it was worth the fuss on Zidane’s part. Not that I’m trying to justify Materazzi, whom as I said, I have never had a fondness for. But was it worth Zidane’s time of day, to respond in any way to a comment as hollow and rhetorical as “Your sister is a whore”? Wasn’t it a little immature on the part of a 34-year-old, multi-millionaire sporting champion to react as he did?

To those of you who assume that Italy is racist because the Azzurri are an all-white team, I would like you to reflect on a few little facts (not opinions!) for a minute or two: Italy has a very, very different history to France, the UK or even The Netherlands. Italy wasn’t even a country until 1860 (when the unification took place) and was a poor, rural country until the “Economic miracle” (as it is known by historians) of the 50s and 60s took place, especially in the North (the North-South divide is still very much in place in Italian society even today). In the 50s and 60s, Italy started becoming an industrialised nation, but it wasn’t until the 80s that it became an industrial world power or one of the wealthier Western nations. Hence, until then, it was the Italians who were immigrants – just ask my grandfather, a Northerner (from what is today the richest region in Italy, no less) who emigrated to Switzerland in the 1940s.

So, when France and the UK were busy expanding their empires around the world, Italy was still finding its feet as a newly formed nation and seeing millions of its citizens emigrate to the five corners of the world even just to survive. We in Italy have only started to see a steady influx of immigrants in the last few decades. I am now in my mid-30s – when I was in school, there may have been one, at the very most two non-white students in my entire school, usually of mixed marriages rather than the children of immigrant families. The look of an Italian school today is very different: within a couple of decades, classrooms are now well and truly racially mixed. But since Italy has only become attractive to immigrants in the last few decades, we still have a long way to go before non-white citizens here are as numerous as they would be in France or the UK. Expecting the Italian national team to have non-white players in its ranks would be like expecting someone who starts a marathon three hours behind the other runners, to instantly catch up with the others. I’m confident and sure we shall start seeing non-white Azzurri very soon, perhaps in the next decade or so… just give it time! The Italian football league is too pragmatic to refuse a truly promising non-white player on the grounds of skin colour.

Furthermore, it’s a little-known fact that Italy is the European country with statistically the lowest instances of violent racist crime (I read this from British sources). Also, anyone who reads newspapers regularly will know that internationally, Italy is often chastised for having lax immigration laws, and giving out refugee status a tad too easily. Yet, I have read so many comments regarding the alleged “Fascist-style” immigration laws we supposedly have here! Obviously racism is unfortunately present here, too, as anywhere in the world. But to label a whole country and its people racist simply because it suits some of you to assume an Italian football player MAY have made a racist slur against a French player or Algerian origin, says more about YOUR despicable prejudices against my country and its people than it does about anything to do with Italy.

And regarding that comment that Materazzi’s ignorant is a damning indictment of the Italian education system, I don’t think I have read anything more patronising in a long time. Materazzi is a self-confessed uneducated, working-class man: does that make ALL Italians equally ignorant and our education system necessarily bad? Jeez – who’s in charge of these internet blogs anyway? Who gives these baboons (no offense to primates, I’m an animal lover!) the go-ahead to write such verbal excrement for everyone to read?!

Is it possible that Zizou’s head butt was due to a match fixing deal between the Italians and the French? His action seems so inexplicable, and there’s a lot of evidence concerning match fixing in Italy now.

Wow:

>> Materazzi has denied calling Zidane a “dirty
>> terrorist” (or a clean one), claiming “I don’t even
>> know what the word means.” A damning
>> indictment of the Italian education system.

If *YOUR* homeland education system had been better (sorry you just called it), maybe you could have thinked at least of checking whith a real Italian translator the meaning of the sentence.

That sentence is a typical way of saying: “I would never use the word terrorist”, it doesn’t really mean he doesn’t *KNOW* the meaning of the word.

The sentence was like: “The word terrorist is so far from me I would never ever use it, my only terrorist is her” pointing finger to his daughter. This whole incident including riots in Algeria is caused by people writing and speaking without knowledge. (And copying others errors and spreading misunderstanding).

By the way do you know where all the racist thing comes out?
Zidane has never talked about racism. Materazzi has denied, so where does it all come from? A british newspaper that sold a lot of copies! They say they have hired “very famous lip readers”, with italian translators.. what? Can you do lip reading in another language??? ??? And you would risk riots or even plain flame wars for this?

If you see what happens with a normal (and quite used) sentence, you can imagine… LIP READING!!!!

They’ve been reading WITH NO DOUBTS:

son of a terrorist whore
I’d rather take the shirt off your sister
I’d rather take the shirt off your wife
(I will make/I have made) love to your sister
(I will make/I have made) love to your mother
(I will make/I have made) love to your wife
(something about) the Muslim religion
(something about) Jean Varraud, of AS Cannes (recently died)
I wish an ugly death to you and all your family (????)
All Muslims are terrorist b*****s (????)
dirty terrorist

Someone have even been posting some sort of “Spanglish” sentences, that really have no Italian meaning and assuming them as true, and starting a flame war over it!

Did Zidane claim it was a racist insult?
No. Dont’ you think he would have said it?
But then WHY CONTINUE this racist thing even if it is evident that it’s NOT real? Because if an idol falls it *MUST* be for a reason, he couldn’t just be NERVOUS, no it was.. must’ve been, YES .. that horrible horrible guy, that vicious horrible italian psychopat, and his trainer, and all their vicious psychopat team… STOP IT!!
S T O P I T ! !

He failed. It’s ok. Relax. Zidane did fail one thing in his whole life. You can survive though. Yes, heroes can fail. They can remain heroes nevertheless. He is not dead or ruined, or less hero, he just did one wrong thing. Even the bloody Materazzi is not angry with him, and couldn’t really care less (he is probably partying..), so stop attacking whole nations just to justify your hero that doesn’t really need it.

P.S.
I cannot do lip reading, but one thing I did see, it was clear, one of those insults you understand even if there is no audio, a loud standing “Vaffanculo!” (f–k off!) in the end. Apart from that nobody knows. Nevertheless there have been thousands of people flaming over the internet and real riots (in Algeria) on things that has probably NEVER been pronounced. When will people stop believing in all they find in the news, and the internet, and understand that the sources of news are people with ideas (on one side or the other) and careers (news make money!) and with at least the same percentage of dumb people (and plain errors) as in other job areas?

And please, everyone, let words remain words, of whatever nature they are, no matter how bad. A terrorist, after all, is someone that bombs you because he doesn’t like your words. And don’t be sorry for the children that watch the smoke, after.

Please, everyone, let words remain words, of whatever nature they are, no matter how bad. A terrorist, after all, is someone that bombs you because he doesn’t like your words. And don’t be sorry for the children that watch the smoke, after.

@Francesco

honestly..that was well said…glad to see that there are some people with good sense on these blogs…hate it when people hate a whole damn nation for the wrongs of one person. Though i am a fan of zidane (4ever!!!) i agree 100% with wat u said.

Francesco,
Whatever you wrote came from your heart.

I agree with the spirit of your note, though I disagree with the analysis of the Materazzi-Zidane incident. I would’ve stayed silent if you not commented on this episode in your note. You portray the head-but incident as if it was an innocuous provocation.

As a fan of the beautiful game I beg to differ. Materazzi has admitted that he provoked Zidane. Do you understand that, by admission he is saying that was not a random act, it was CLEAR PROVOCATION.

There is only two more question that need to be asked.
1) Who asked him to provoke Zidane?
2) Was it a premeditated act?

You rightly point out that Italians should not be stereotyped after one guy. You are right. But Italians also need to raise their voice and condemn Materazzism i.e. ill-intentioned words to wound the hearts.

My respect for Italians will go up tenfold if I hear one Italian say, “We didn’t win this cup with honor, we should abdicate it.”

Better death than that morsel of food
Which lowers an eagle into the domain of vultures

Peace,
Kruman

Francesco,
Whatever you wrote came from your heart.

I agree with the spirit of your note, though I disagree with the analysis of the Materazzi-Zidane incident. I would’ve stayed silent if you had not commented on this episode in your note. You portray the head-but incident as if it was an innocuous provocation.

As a fan of the beautiful game I beg to differ. Materazzi has admitted that he provoked Zidane. Do you understand that, by admission he is saying that was not a random act, it was CLEAR PROVOCATION.

There are only two more questions that need to be asked.
1) Who asked him to provoke Zidane?
2) Was it a premeditated act?

You rightly point out that Italians should not be stereotyped after one guy. You are right. But Italians also need to raise their voice and condemn Materazzism i.e. ill-intentioned words meant to wound the heart.

My respect for Italians will go up tenfold if I hear one Italian say, “We didn’t win this cup with honor, we should abdicate it.”

“Better death than that morsel of food
Which lowers an eagle into the domain of vultures”

Peace,
Kruman

“My respect for Italians will go up tenfold if I hear one Italian say, “We didn’t win this cup with honor, we should abdicate it.”

An Italian by the name Freedom Fries just said it on the blog “We’ll meet again”.

I am outta here, these blogs suck you in like a quagmire.

Goodbyte, Italy fans enjoy the cup and stop posting on the blogs.

Non-Italy fans,
Root for Brazil the next time. You’ll see the real Ronaldinho then.

I think Zidane has been a great player. It is a shame he ended his career in that way (expelled), but it does not mean he is not a great pleayer. I am not happy at all with Italy winning the world cup, I don´t think they really deserve it, judging by the way they played,is one of the poorest champions we have ever seen. They had to rely in trechourous way to win, as they are used to, no wonder their main teams have problems with the law, It seems to me, that they are acostumed to corruption. It seems funny how Materazzi was in lying down in the field while Zidane was expelled, but afterwards he stood up, and continued playing as if nothing had happened. Does not it seem mysterius to you? It does to me. I think it was previously intended by Materazzi. Sorry for Zidane, who fell in the trap.

Kruman, you are obviously either visually empaired, or so badly wishing to see the Azzurri as undeserving winners that you cannot see the almost universally acknowledged evidence of how well they played in the last WC tournament overall. Not liking the Italians’ style of play is a matter of personal taste, but it’s a sign of having no objectivity whatsoever to claim, especially with the pompously, smart-ass tone you use, that they were downright bad, or even the biggest cheaters out there (just count their red and yellow cards collected over the years, wontcha? You’ll find that Italy aren’t even listed among FIFA’s Top Ten offenders!).

Evidence. Meaning , FACTS, figures, as opposed to blah blah BLAH bullcrap eternally recycled, tired ol’ clichés, and compare those FACTS to those of other teams… then let’s see if Italy comes out of it looking so very undeserving of victory! You may have rooted for France, it’s clear to see and it’s obviously absolutely fine, and France may have been in some ways better than Italy in the last 2/3 of the final (yet it’s a fact they were still not good enough to score when it mattered). But Italy, beating the host nation at the semi-finals under a constant, 50,000+ chorus of whistles and jeers from Germany fans, then managing to score minutes after France were awarded that penalty in the first half of the final, Italy who hit a cross-bar and had a dubious off-side goal annulled, Italy who are notoriously unlucky at penalties, yet amazingly got all 5 in the net… Italy who had nerves of steel and weren’t even being backed by their own country and national fans throughout most of the tournament………. Italy, my arrogant American blogger, were far from being dishonourable winners, and they showed even us Italians back home that we direly underestimated them. You have no idea just how harsh Italians are against their own, how ruthlessly critical – how hard the sporting press is. Oh, you have no f*** ing idea…….

Once and for all: the Azzurri were most definitely not waiting for penalties, since as I said, we have always been exceptionally unlucky at penalties – again look at the FACTS! FACTS, you blockhead.

Quite frankly, I don’t give a damn whether you respect Italians or not, or whether you cultivate nasty, brain-dead stereotypes. It’s clear you are only willing to see what you wish to see anyway, or whatever will conveniently confirm what you already believe. Furthermore, with what is clearly an exceptionally limited knowledge of Italy and its people that you possess, and no desire to expand it, I really don’t see where you find the moral courage to be so vociferously and patronisingly critical of the nation and its citizens – or even its national football team for that matter, which you seem to view as somehow representative of its country and people (how disarmingly simplistic a world view).

As an Italian woman and football fan I have never been overly keen on Materazzi, considering him a somewhat mediocre little man (albeit a fine footballer). I have no respect for his insults to Zidane, though to be honest I thought the French player should have been mature enough to resist making such a tit of himself on an international stage. As I said in an earlier post, he should have just risen above Materazzi’s rhetorical comments about his sister or whatever, the likes of which you hear on any sporting field in any part of the world at whatever level the sport is being played (not that I’m justifying such insults, just saying they are banal, so banal they’re barely even offensive!). However, your desire to see an Italian or Italy fan, or even just any objective person out there admit the Azzurri didn’t win the cup with honour, makes me throw my head back and produce a hearty laugh at your expense. Your misplaced, self-rightous arrogance is what has no honour. Even several French bloggers managed to congratulate Italy – you, sir, are just sad, sad, inconsolably SAD.

oh daniella!! standing ovation!!!!!

Well done Daniella….brava.

@Kruman

You read what you want on other’s posts as on others lips!

>> “You portray the head-but incident as if it was an innocuous provocation.
As a fan of the beautiful game I beg to differ. Materazzi has admitted that he provoked Zidane”

Materazzi has admitted he insulted Zidane, not provoked repeatedly! But you might not believe him.

So I will let Zidane answer:

Interviewer: [about friction with certain players] Nor Materazzi?

Zinedine Zidane: No, never. There was nothing beforehand and nothing in the match until he started pulling my jersey.

He grabbed my shirt and I told him to stop. I told him if he wanted I’d swap it with him at the end of the match.

That is when he said some very hard words, which were harder than gestures. He repeated them several times. It all happened very quickly and he spoke about things which hurt me deep down.

[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/france/5174758.stm ]

So imagine the dialogue:

ZZ: “If you want the shirt you can have it at the end of the match”
MM: “I’d rather take it off your sister”
MM: “You hear? I’d rather take it off your sister, so f***off!”

So where is the continuos provocation of players, as a team constant behaviour? Zidane started the talk. Then an excalation up to the final butt-heading. But until that, it was only words.

Where is the racism?

Where is all the italian subtle mind playing and cheating?

You are sad because your idle lost his mind for a moment. Ok, then just forgive him. He is a good player and great hero and all the rest, EVEN IF he butt headed a guy with no real reason. You can still love him, no use to throw shit on others.

P.S. and IF MM really talked about his sister, as is now probable, note that in Italy, if someone says something rude to you, you often answer “your sister!” to send the arrogance to the sender (I’ve said it thousands of times). It is not really about the REAL sisters, ok? Like “a**hole” does not mean you are a real hole ok? Again languages have subtle meanings, even on rude words, that is why they should remain spoken and you should not use violence against words.

Unless you are a terrorist b*tch, of course.

PLEASE TAKE THIS AS A JOKE, DO NOT BOMB MY COUNTRY, PLEASE, OK? YOU KNOW JOKES?

Zidane’s mother IS a terrorist bitch! And it can be easily proven.

She said: “..if what he said is true, then I want his balls on a platter”

The Proof follows:

1) she heard a single version of the facts (the Brits newspaper version) that is not proved nor actually probable (based on lip reading in a foreign language, and not even sustained by her son, now)

so she had a distorted vision of reality and was basing her actions on unproven sentences

2) she is praising her son for having used violence to defending his family’s honour

so she is endorsing the use of violence for her own interest

3) she said to want Materazzi’s balls on a plate

so she is asking to have her enemy killed and tortured with mutilation

1) + 2) + 3) clearly proves she is a terrorist (by definition of the word)

Now there’s the bitch part of the demonstration. But that’s easy..
I mean she didn’t say she wanted his nose, or two fingers.. she wanted is balls! If that’s not bitchy!

So proof done, she is a bitch terrorist, and thus Materazzi is clearly innocent. FIFA advised

: )

Kruman, BRAVO, I agree wholeheartedly with you. Daniela and Francesco, the FACT remains that the PROVOKER is Materazzi and I think it is obvious to those who are neutral like me that Materazzi did it on purpose to get the desired effect. There have been lots of discussion on the net and elsewhere about this and most people (who are not biased ) agree that Materazzi was blinded by his desire to win at all costs – even sacrificing his integrity. Better to lose with honour than to win WITHOUT honour.

Where Does Soccer Go From Here?
——————————-

The “hero” of this final was a chest pinching thug. FIFA has to act decisively here.

Otherwise you’ll be seeing a groin pincher next.

Matereazzi should be banned for life.

Italy should honorably abdicate the cup. Italians are an honorable people. They don’t need this stigma.

ITALIAN FANS: I have said this repeatedly:
Materazzi or his gang of thugs
are NOT == Italy

Dear Francesco, Donna, Daniela, Kasets,
You are speaking out of ignorance and ignorance is a “sympathisable folly”.

You have nothing but my sympathies and best wishes. I was only apeaking as a friend of Italy.

If you don’t like honest friendly advice, then so be it. The wise amongst the Italians have already heard and spoken.

Best ragards,
Peace,
Kruman

Lin: “the FACT remains that the PROVOKER is Materazzi”

Yes, great, let’s talk about facts: give me the PROOF that Materazzi was the only provoker. Are those beautiful “analyses” in English tabloids, made by lip readers who don’t know italian? Intelligent people laugh at them.
If it is so important to blame and ban the provoker, why we do not analyse what Zidane said BEFORE (he did say something a little before Materazzi)?
As I wrote in another thread the keyword is OBIETTIVITA’. And, yes, I write it in Italian.

Kruman: “Matereazzi should be banned for life”
Luckily Justice supports civil liberties for all people that are accused: Otherwise there would be a dictatorship. Why don’t you (and other people) do that for Materazzi?

Lin: “the FACT remains that the PROVOKER is Materazzi”

the FACT remains that Zidane said he didn’t!!!!

But YOU know the facts! Not Zizu himself!
Ho please.

ZZ: “There was nothing beforehand and nothing in the match until he started pulling my jersey”

Don’t you think provocation as a vile tactic should have been going on all the match???? Not Just AFTER ZZ STARTS the conversation?

I really thought you could not handle the fall of your hero, understandable, but it seems evident you also cannot handle our victory. And that makes you such a little man, looking for any reason to blame the winners. Now you are a looser.

France, being the losers, can only console themselves and come to terms with their defeat by blaming someone else. It is most uncivilised of a “civilised” country to turn a vile act of a violent nature into a major justification for its defeat. What’s shocking to me is that the whole country partook in the consumption of this half lie of the headbutter being being insulted. France, you are only kidding yourself. Get real, get off this self pity and stop pouring scorn on the Italian team. The facts are clear for all to see: they scored on the night that mattered, and you did not. So you lost. What would you say if Materrazzi headbutted Zidane? I am sick of reading all those pretentious lines from your self righteous press. But what else can one expect from losers?

Kruman, well said! Materazzi deserves to be banned from playing football on the international stage. What a bad example of sportsmanship. I am ertainly no fan of ZZ. He, along with M should be punished. Howver, M should get the heavier punishment as he is the provoker. Italian fans, you obviously can’t ’see’ beyond your bias – read the different blogs and you will see that many people round the world condemn M for his devious tactics. Think about this – a common scenario. 2 children -one says really hurtful things repeatedly to another and the other hits him. Who should be punished more? I rest my case.

Francseco, Materazzi had CONFESSED that he did insult ZZ.

FRANCESCO and other Italian supporters in denial about Materazzi’s GUILT, please note the latest news that FIFA has found Materazzi GUILTY of ‘repeatedly provoking Zidane’. SHAME on Materazzi for his underhanded tactics!

Fifa with all their wisdom have deemed it wise to punish Materazzi for taking a headbutt from ZZ.

Shame Shame Shame…..From now on every red card incident has a built in excuse….”he called me ugly”, “he said my sisters a tramp”, “he said i have a big nose”, “he said my momma’s teeth so yellow that when she smiles traffic slows down”….watch and see what an ugly precedent this sets.

ZZ be honourable and apologise to Mat and all soccer fans….and if you really want to restore your reputation return the golden ball.

Also all those people out there who jumped to the conclusion that racist remarks must have been made by Mat here what was said by both players (FIFA Site)

In their statements, both players stressed that Materazzi’s comments had been defamatory but not of a racist nature.

Please forward your apologies directly to Materazzi at FIGC.

Well done FIFA!
Your Q.I. is less than 20.
Probably FIFA will want to give work to Zidane in the future, so…

Lin: Materazzi has CONFESSED and Zidane somehow confirmed that Zidane provoked him FIRST.
“…underhanded tactics” Tactics? Please provide proofs that it was a tactic. Then it was also a tactic the first provocation of Zidane.

HYPOCRITES, please, SHUT UP!

stop already, all those italian fans endorsing the cowardly acts of Materazzi! yeah, right, he was not insulting someone’s “mother”, the Fact is, as you all lovers of the facts you love, he did not deny his insults on someone’s “sister”, satisfied ?

maybe the female side of your family is so cheap that it is bussiness as usual that those words slip out everyday every minute. But, someone take it in a different way, and react to it in a different way.

FIFA has had its verdict, consider it giving balls back to those fans, or refuse it.

Flying2002. Please fly down.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,27-2279237,00.html

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1825192,00.html

Do you know what are proportions?
Search it on the vocabulary.
Often mouth is better close…

>> 2 children -one says really hurtful things
>> repeatedly to another and the other hits him.
>> Who should be punished more? I rest my case

Is this the way you raise your children? You really think the butthead has the same weight of words ?

When I was a boy and had discussions with my younger sister, if I hit her, no matter what she had said to me and for how long, I was the one who ended in punishment. I really though this was normal, but maybe there is a world out there of parents that tell their children to hit their brothers if they talk too much?

On this there is no point in discussing. It is just a different view of life probably. I still prefere mine though.

I don’t love Materazzi, or actually I couldn’t care less of him, but I still like him much much more than Hitler, Saddam Hussein, ..etc..

I have never posted in DEFENSE of Materazzi. And I’m not even a great football fan, so read my posts, before writing to criticize them!

I was expecting excuses from Zidane though!!! Materazzi as excused himself for insulting!!!!
Even the butt-head is no problem to me: it was in the field, someone can loose control. No problem. But after, when you are out of the field you HAVE to say I’m sorry.
When I was a boy, no matter what we did, WE BOTH HAD TO SAY SORRY in the end. No matter who was right or wrong.

This should apply to WHOLE NATIONS TOO. France and Italy HAVE to say they are sorry!!!! I can be the first if you wish: “I am sorry for the insults of Materazzi”. See? Without any “but..” No “although..”. Sorry. Full stop. Materazzi has said it too. The vicious uglu guy..

Zidane has said he was sorry for the (French)children watching and the people but NOT FOR DOING IT. Not for Materazzi and not BECAUSE IT WAS WRONG. HE was wrong.

He has said it was sort of right to do it!

France president has given him his congratulations for doing it!

The whole nation said it was great!

This has NO EXCUSES. And it has nothing to do with football or FIFA or the butt-head itself.

Sore loosers.

>> FIFA has found Materazzi GUILTY of ‘repeatedly provoking Zidane’. SHAME on Materazzi for his underhanded tactics!

repeatedly = twice !!!! one after the other.

underhanded tactics = starting a provocation at 10′ to the end of the game!!!!!
(Zidane said they hadn’t even talked before)

provoking = an insult to the sister!!!!

FIFA has found Materazzi GUILTY = condemned to 2 days of rest! ZZZzzzzZZZzz…
He will probably spend them cleaning the World Cup with a cloth.

I was surprised about the weak condemn to Zidane though, but they probably thought he had his punishment already..

flying2002, the conversation in the field was in italian (Zidane started it in italian) so I guess it should be based on italian conversation standards.

On italian standards, saying someone’s sister is a b**ch, is like me saying you are an as***le: absolutely normal. Now would you hit me?

ok, ok, sorry, just scientifically testing th.. Ouch!

This might be out of step with this thread, but here goes.

I am curious why Materazzi was punished with a 2 game suspension but when Totti, in Euro 2004, spat back at the Danish defender, no one went back to look at the guy’s provocations and gave him an equivalent penalty. I think that FIFA has set a really dangerous precedent. Now, every time someone reacts to ‘provocation,’ FIFA (or other federations) will have to go check for the provocation, figure out how bad it was, etc., etc… I also would like to point out that, as someone said, if it had not been Zidane, this probably would not have had such a resounding echo. But let’s not forget that Zidane has been known to have violent reactions in the past, and thus he is a repeat offender, something that should be frowned on upon as much as the provocation of Materazzi (who I don’t particularly like as a person). In civil law, repeat offenders get punished more, as repeating one’s offenses shows the inability to change.

Finally, Italy did not play as poorly as people say. What intrigues me is that people base their judgment on offensive output. France did spend more time on offense than Italy did (though France were gifted a penalty, Italy scored the only live-action goal, Toni was not in offside when the pass started – and the goal was denied because of someone else’s offside which was, in my view, ininfluent on the outcome – a valid goal by FIFA rules; and Italy hit the crossbar again with Toni). However, soccer is played on both sides of the ball. If France’s offense was mediocre it’s also because Italy had much better players on defense. Soccer is a game played by 11 players. It should be time that we recognize that. Which means: Italy had the best defensive players in the game (Buffon is 10 times the goalie Bartez is, for example, that alone earned them a victory) and they managed to win because on that side of the ball they kept the French at bay. If you admire soccer, you should admire high quality defense as well as any offense that can’t score a live-action goal. Let’s give credit to Lippi for having set up the best defensive unit in the World Cup. And then, at the penalty shootout, let’s not forget that not one of Italy’s penalty shots came even close to being picked off by Barthez (and yes, Materazzi scored his, which made him the game’s high scorer, irony of ironies… and Italy’s other defender, Grosso, scored with immense pressure on him, and showed that his beautiful goal against Germany was not a fluke… Italians have defenders who know how to play the ball, something not every team in the world can say). As someone who has always appreciated defense, I can say that Italy’s defense earned them a World Cup… what’s wrong with that, it’s the other side of the coin… and the rest of the team was not too shabby either: for all the talk, Italy scored 12 goals in the tournament, second only to Germany, France scored 9… and don’t tell me France’s opposition was better… Togo, South Korea, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil and Portugal vs. Ghana, US, Czech Republic, Australia, Ukraine and Germany are pretty much even when you think about it (remember, the Czech Republic was ranked 2nd coming into the WC, behind only Brazil; and the US were ranked 5th… Ghana was the top African team, Germany had the huge advantage of home field… Yes, France defeated Brazil, that was its crowning achievement; but Portugal, as Germany proved, was a lame opponent in the semifinal… and France beat them only with a penalty kick…). I think that in the end, Italy deserved the title, as much as it would not have deserved it in 1994, had it won on penalty kicks.

It is foolish to call italians racist and then call them mafiosi!This was not the first time zidane was expelled: it was his twelvth! This is a very high number for a midfielder. A lot of players will make such comments hoping the opponent will react. Now only because the player was italian, they have to investigate on everything: what about paulsen-totti? paulsen called him very bad names, insulted hiw wife and his child to be born!If Materazzi was shorter, he would’ve KILLED him! he could’ve nearly given him cardiac arrest..is zidane so innocent now? Materazzi shouldn’t have any days off or fines, and zidane should have more days off and fines! Im sticking to nike from now on..no more adidas! they say italians are racist, but everyone’s just racist towards them! Zidane was just nervous, because he almost scored, but zidane one-handedly awesomely blocked it! He doesn’t deserve the golden ball. someone like cannavaro who played excellently to the tops and a CLEAN game, should get it! the final was also a bit unfair because many of the french players played for italian clubs like juve, so they knew how italians played. also, domenech put wiltord and trezeguet in because they were the ones to score against italy at the european finals 6 years ago…he thought he would scare italy…SORRY LA FRANCE, but we beat all. the cup is italian for 4 years!

Why are you italy fans so angry and full of hatred to zidane? His argument was with materazzi, not italy. Many of the italian players are his friends, he has no argument with them. Buffon even defended him, saying he was provoked. You loved zidane when he in juventus. Lippi was his coach for 5 years and loved him as a player and as a man. Lippi still supports him and is his friend. He called him a “wonderful boy” many times when zizou arrived at Juve and continued to support him when he left.

Zizou fell for Materazzi’s lowlife scumbag trap, that was his great mistake. Leave him the hell alone, let it rest. Stop feeding off his professional carcass. He’s left the game in disgrace – you’ve won. What more do you want? Nothing worse than a sore winner.

Completely agree with you, Colman, that Zidane unfortunately fell for that scumbag’s ‘trap’. Can’t you Italian supporters get it into your heads that people who think that Italy should not have won because of the ‘way’ it was won are not racists against Italians. There are many nice Italians ( I used to have some work colleagues who are Italian, one of my daughter’s best friends is half Italian and I know a nice Italian girl). Materazzi and Grosso (in the game against Australia) showed the whole world what they would stoop to just to win. I am really disgusted with both of them.

Marie, the cup may be Italy’s for 4 years but do you know what many people round the world think? LOTS of people (read the various blogs) think that they didn’t deserve to win it. Materazzi and Grosso = ‘bad sportsmanship’.

Zidane’s action was shameful; and it is incredible that some people could actually defend him and try to argue that he was justified for what he did to Materazzi. In a very intense soccer game, as the FIFA finals have been, there will be some name-calling involved. I do not believe that it is correct to use offensive terms towards others; however, violence is a lot worse than words and should never be the answer to solve anything. As Marie has mentioned, Zidane could have caused Materazzi to undergo cardio arrest and, hence, die. One should be able to ignore others when being provoked. Maturity is essential. Besides, it was Zidane who stareted the argument between the two players. Materazzi, normally, replied; and then Zidane attacked him. How could one say that Zidane was right because Materazzi offended him? If that is the case, does that mean that if you call me “stupid”, I have the right to beat you up? Francesco in his response to Lin. It is right that the one who reacts physically, no matter how much someone is verbally insulted. I do not think that one should even hesitate with accusing Zidane of being completely disgraceful and unreasonable. If FIFA were consistant, then why didn’t they defend Totti when he spat on Paulsen. In my opinion, Totti was punished rightfully. But if one defends Zidane, then why didn’t anyone make any hesitations about Totti being suspended – I mean, he also was provoked by his opponed and, thus, reacted (in a better, less dangerous way than Zidane did, let I mantion). Evidently, there are some racial issues, which arise. Many people descriminate against Italians, for no reason. French people, in particular, do, since they are jealous that Italy is better then them at most things. They just cannot stand defeat.
Zidane was clearly angry, because the Italian goly, Buffon, made a beautiful save. Zidane was so confident of France making that goal and burned in desire to attain it. The unsuccessful try made him furious and he was not able to handle his rage, hence taking it out on an Italian player.
Afterwards, he did not even repent what he did, which makes one look down at him even more. He is a terrible role model and if he does any advertisements for any companies, I will definitely not purchase any more products from those companies. I agree with Kasets that Zidane does not deserve the Golden Ball. Rather, Cannavaro deserves it, for he played a clean game, wonderfully, and was always an motivating team mate.
Moreover, I would like to point out that I agree with what Daniela wrote. I would like to argue with a comment that Lin made, which is the following: “Italian fans, you obviously can’t ’see’ beyond your bias – read the different blogs and you will see that many people round the world condemn M for his devious tactics.”. I would like to mention that I am French and I still do not believe that Zidane was right. I think that you need to read the other blogs yourself, because there are other people, aside from Italians, who defend Materazzi – to mention, Hin Tan from Malaysia and Kasen from Canada. I would also like respond to another comment that Lin wrote: “Better to lose with honour than to win WITHOUT honour.” Italy most definitely won with honor and completely deserved it; whereas, France played well, yet one of its players took off his medal. That is losing without honor. He could have still accepted his medal with pride. Besides, he came really far, so he should be happy, and Italy absolutely deserved to win. Italy won and, for those of you who do not believe it was right, you need to accept the truth (stop insulting Italy and Materazzi, just because you can’t handle loss. Sore losers are pathetic); and move on with your lives.

For all those people are defending ZZ. Lets change the roles, Materazzi headbutting ZZ.
Now think about what would have been the end of the story?
Easy answer :-)eh..eh.. my friend. Also in this case ZZ the hero and blames to MM…or not????
However, at the end of the day in 1 years from now we will remebrer Italy WC 2006 all the rest bullshit.

Zidane is the best and the true champ. Rest is all bul*sh*t

je veut un ticot de zineddine zidane