"Zidane"

[achebeautiful]

The Zidane Mystery: What Set Him Off?
~ By JEROME PUGMIRE, AP Sports Writer


BERLIN - Was it something he said? With France and Italy tied in extra time of Sunday's World Cup final, Zinedine Zidane head-butted Marco Materazzi in the chest and was ejected. France went on to lose on penalty kicks. The day after, still no one knew what the Italian defender might have said to the French star.

"The Italians did everything they could do to provoke Zidane," France defender William Gallas said.

Seconds before, Materazzi had grabbed a handful of Zidane's jersey just as a French attack on goal passed harmlessly by. The two exchanged words as they walked back up the field, well behind the play. Then, without warning, Zidane spun around, lowered his head and rammed Materazzi, knocking him to the ground.

The Paris-based anti-racism advocacy group SOS-Racism issued a statement Monday quoting "several very well informed sources from the world of football" as saying Materazzi called Zidane a "dirty terrorist." It demanded that FIFA, soccer's world governing body, investigate and take any appropriate action.

FIFA, which reviews all red cards at the World Cup, would not comment on the specifics.

"This is a disciplinary matter now. I can't give any statements now," FIFA spokesman Markus Siegler said.

Materazzi, meanwhile, was quoted as denying the terrorist comment

"It is absolutely not true, I didn't call him a terrorist, I don't know anything about that," the Italian news agency ANSA quoted Materazzi as saying when he arrived with his team at an Italian military airfield.

"What happened is what all the world saw live on TV," the Italian player said, referring to the head-butting.

Zidane's agent, Alain Migliaccio, was quoted by the BBC as saying the France captain told him the Italian "said something very serious to him, but he wouldn't tell me what."

Whatever it was, it was enough to infuriate Zidane.

"Zizou is someone who reacts to things," said Aime Jacquet, Zidane's coach at the 1998 World Cup. "Unfortunately he could not control himself. It's terrible to see him leave this way."

Even with the ejection, Zidane still won the Golden Ball as the World Cup's best player.

Zidane, who came out of retirement to help France qualify for the World Cup and said he would quit soccer completely after the tournament, got 2,012 points in the vote by journalists covering the tournament. The three-time player of the year beat Fabio Cannavaro (1,977) and Andrea Pirlo (715), both of Italy.

Zidane's red card was anything but unusual. He was sent off 14 times in his career at the club and international level.

At the 1998 World Cup, he stomped on a Saudi Arabian opponent. Sitting out a two-match ban, he came back to score two goals against Brazil in the final.

Five years ago with Juventus, he head-butted an opponent in a Champions League match against Hamburger SV after being tackled from behind.

The reaction to Sunday's outburst was mixed in France. President Jacques Chirac called Zidane "a genius of world football," and former Sports Minister Marie-George Buffet said Zidane's aggressive act was unforgivable for its effect on children watching the game.

"This morning, Zinedine, what do we tell our children, and all those for whom you were the living role model for all times?" French sports daily L'Equipe wrote.

Zidane, whose parents emigrated to France from Algeria, became a proud symbol of a multicultural France and is adored in Algeria.

In the mountains where Zidane's parents grew up, Atmanne Chelouah carried off a life-size cardboard cutout of the player at "Cafe Zizou" after the red card.

"We are very disappointed," Chelouah said. "He should have kept his cool."

But lashing out is nothing new to Zidane, who grew up playing on concrete in an impoverished immigrant neighborhood of Marseille, where fouls and insults are met with instant retribution.

Perhaps he could never shake off that you-or-me mentality.

"You can take the man out of the rough neighborhood, but you can't take the rough neighborhood out of the man," striker Thierry Henry said Sunday.

At this year's World Cup, where Zidane sat out one match for getting two yellow cards in the first round, he sent a message to his teammates. In a rare television interview, he said, "We die together."

They were ready to go as far as they could for him, yet he punished them.

"He'll carry that weight for a long time," France coach Raymond Domenech said of Zidane's latest red card.

Zidane nearly won the match with a late header after giving France an early lead with a penalty, taking two steps forward to slowly chip the ball into the air while goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon dived to his right.

It was his third goal of the tournament and sixth in the last 10 major tournament matches. He scored three at the 2004 European Championship.

Zidane's teammates had all wanted to help him to one last trophy. Failing that, they refused to kick him when he was down.

"For all that Zidane has done for the national team, you have to say 'Thank you and well done,'" said striker David Trezeguet, the only player to miss his penalty kick in the shootout.

[achebeautiful]

Materazzi denies calling Zidane "terrorist"


ROME (Reuters) - Italy defender Marco Materazzi on Monday denied a report that he had called Zinedine Zidane a "dirty terrorist" seconds before the French captain head-butted him in Sunday's World Cup final.

"It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist. I'm ignorant. I don't even know what the word means," the Italian news agency Ansa quoted Materazzi as saying after the Italian team returned to Rome.

"The whole world saw what happened on live TV," he added.

The Paris-based anti-racism group SOS Racism had earlier quoted well informed sources as saying Materazzi had apparently used the phrase.

"According to several very well informed sources from the world of football, it would seem that the Italian player Marco Materazzi called Zinedine Zidane a 'dirty terrorist'," SOS Racism said in a statement.

Zidane, the son of Algerian immigrants, was shown a red card after the incident and Italy went on to win on penalties after the match was tied 1-1 following extra time.

SOS Racism called for an inquiry and said world soccer's governing body FIFA had recently toughened sanctions against racism.

"It's for this reason that SOS Racism asks in a determined fashion for FIFA to shed light on this altercation and that sanctions laid out in the official rules be applied should this be the case," SOS Racism said.

French television reported that Zidane would talk about the incident "in the coming days."

[achebeautiful]

Zidane wins World Cup's best player award
~ By JOHN PYE, AP Sports Writer


BERLIN - France captain Zinedine Zidane, sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi late in Sunday's World Cup final loss to Italy, won the Golden Ball award for the tournament's best player.

The results were released Monday morning in Berlin by FIFA.

Zidane polled 2012 points in the vote by journalists covering the tournament, beating Italians Fabio Cannavaro (1977 points) and Andrea Pirlo (715 points) in the ballot.

Zidane, who put France ahead with a penalty kick in the opening minutes, was given a red card after slamming his head into Materazzi's chest during the tense second period of extra time.

It was his last act as a professional player and one that was widely criticized in France and abroad.

With the score locked 1-1 after 120 minutes the French missed Zidane's prowess in the penalty shootout, which Italy calmly won 5-3 to collect its fourth World Cup title.

Zidane, 34, a former international player of the year and 1998 World Cup champion, announced last month that he was retiring from soccer after the tournament.

He wasn't particularly outstanding in France's opening draws with Switzerland and South Korea and missed the last group match against Togo due to suspension. But Zidane produced some vintage performances in the wins over Spain, Brazil and Portugal in the knockout phase.

Voting for the 2006 Golden Ball closed at midnight Sunday. In previous tournaments, the ballot has closed at halftime in the final and the winner announced soon after the match.

Italy captain Cannavaro could be considered unlucky in the voting.

He led an Italian defense that conceded only two goals in the tournament: an own-goal against the United States and Zidane's penalty.

The final was his 100th cap for Italy.

"I got my award, that's it right there," Cannavaro said, gesturing toward the World Cup trophy sitting on the table in front of him. "I'm extremely pleased with what I have."

With fellow central defender Alessandro Nesta injured, Cannavaro played every minute of Italy's seven games.

Many pundits tipped Cannavaro as the winner, including 1986 winner Diego Maradona.

"Fabio Cannavaro was the best player of this World Cup," the Argentine great said. "Yes, it was a tournament without one dominant player, but Fabio was huge."

Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn won the Golden Ball in 2002. Other previous winners were Brazilians Ronaldo (1998) and Romario ('94) and Italy's Salvatore Schillaci ('90).

Germany striker Miroslav Klose was the Golden Shoe winner for the tournament's leading scorer. He won with five goals. Ronaldo won the award in 2002 with eight goals.

[achebeautiful]

First of all, about Zidane receiving the Golden Ball Award. If Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown that wound up losing the Super Bowl for the Pittsburgh Steelers, do you really think they would have awarded him the MVP Award?

Zidane's actions may very well have cost France the victory, because supposedly he is a very skilled scorer. It likely was the difference in the Penalty Kicks that wound up winning it for Italy. Besides, Italy was lifeless with exhaustion at the point in which Zidane was red carded, so it may never have come down to Penalty Kicks at all. France was attacking the whole second half with very few counter attacks from Italy. With no substitutions left for Italy, they
were definately on their heels. Terrible move on Zidane's part. Terrible timing as well.

And as far as whether something was said to incite him or not, well, that is sport. I'm not justifying what may or may not have been said, but that competition all over the globe in every sport will bring that out. Cooler heads prevail. If the World Cup is seriously a world-wide event deserving of credit, it will dismiss the excuses, not play politics on behalf of a beloved player, and recognize it for what it is. Champions rise to the occassion....Zidane fell.

[ocelot]

I don't have a problem with them giving Zidane the Golden Ball award because it was for the tournament and France would not have even made it out of the group stage if it weren't for Zidane. I understand why no one on Italy won it because they played as a team and there was no stand out player for Italy throughout the tournament. The difference between this and the Super Bowl is that the Super Bowl MVP is the MVP of that one game. I've seen the goalie of the losing team win the Stanley Cup playoffs MVP for the same reason (that team would not have gone so far if not for that player).

[achebeautiful]

Very true, and I understand your point. I have to agree with you on that.

[cppgenius]

This is going to hang around Zidane's head for quite some time. (The refference to his head was purely accidental). Did you get that e-mail I sent you guys.

Funny how there's always someone exploiting worldwide events like this, isn't it. I know that there is a serious side to this, but then again it is a game (on professional level). I'd like to see both the humor and the tragedy. The big irony is that Italy must never have been in the final, because the penalty they got against USA was an error from the referee.

Everyone messed up in the World Cup and Italy got lucky in my opinion. I guess Lara is thrilled, she's a full blooded Italian.

[achebeautiful]

I can't agree with the statement that Italy got lucky (or should I say that I don't believe they were any more lucky than any other team.) Championship teams in every sport make their own luck with hard work, determination, capitalizing on the opportunities afforded them, execution of the plays they are given, teamwork, and preparation. Italy did that better than everyone in the tournament and are the deserved champions.

By the way Coenraad, I did get the email you sent and thought it was very funny!

[achebeautiful]

Zidane Says Materazzi Insulted His Family
By ANGELA DOLAND, Associated Press Writer


PARIS - French soccer star Zinedine Zidane offered apologies but no regrets Wednesday for brutally head-butting an Italian opponent in the World Cup final, saying he was spurred by cruel insults to his mother and sister.

Exactly what was said between France's captain and Marco Materazzi remains a mystery, however. Zidane never was specific about what enraged him. So, for the moment, the exchange stays between them.

"I would rather have taken a punch in the jaw than have heard that," he told the Canal-Plus television network, stressing that Materazzi's language was "very harsh," and that he uttered the insults several times.

In his first public comments since Sunday's match, Zidane repeatedly apologized to fans — especially to children. But he said he didn't regret the abrupt, violent outburst that marked the end of his illustrious 18-year professional career.

"I tell myself that if things happened this way, it's because somewhere up there it was decided that way," the 34-year-old midfielder said in an interview on TF1 television. "And I don't regret anything that happened, I accept it."

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

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

The act of aggression marred the end of the World Cup, with many warning it would tarnish the legacy of Zidane, who retired after the tournament.

Wednesday, he stressed he felt no regret "because that would mean (Materazzi) was right to say all that."

"There was a serious provocation," Zidane said. "My act is not forgivable. But they must also punish the true guilty party, and the guilty party is the one who provokes."

For days, sports fans around the world have been riveted by the question: What could Materazzi have said to set Zidane off in the last few moments of his illustrious, 18-year career? Media from Brazil to Britain hired lip readers to try to figure it out, then came up with different answers.

Materazzi has acknowledged he insulted Zidane, without giving specifics. At nearly the same moment Zidane was on TV, excerpts from a Materazzi interview were posted on an Italian paper's Web site. He denied insulting Zidane's mother.

"I didn't say anything to him about racism, religion or politics," Materazzi told the Gazzetta dello Sport. "I didn't talk about his mother, either. I lost my mother when I was 15, and even now I still get emotional talking about her."

Zidane "has always been my hero," Materazzi said. "I admire him a lot."

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

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

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

FIFA's disciplinary committee opened an inquiry Tuesday into Zidane's behavior. His red card was not unusual: Zidane was sent off 14 times in his career at the club and international level.

Despite his temper, Zidane is better known for his sportsmanship and dancer-like technique. He is a national hero for the French and a symbol of a young, multicultural France. Born to Algerian immigrants, Zidane grew up playing on concrete in an impoverished neighborhood of Marseille.

President Jacques Chirac has had only kind words for Zidane since the match — reassuring him that France still "admires and loves him." Many in France already have pardoned Zidane: A poll published Tuesday in Le Parisien newspaper showed 61 percent of the 802 people questioned forgave Zidane.

Zidane said many people have asked him not to retire, but he said he would not change his mind.

"I won't go back on it, at least I hope so. ... It's definitive," he said.

Zidane told TF1 television he was "going to rest, and then move on to something else."

___

AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf in Rome contributed to this report.

[achebeautiful]

FIFA Opens Probe of Materazzi Comments


ZURICH, Switzerland - FIFA said Thursday it opened disciplinary proceedings against Marco Materazzi for his conduct in Italy's victory in the World Cup final.

World soccer's governing body said it opened the investigation because of statements by France's Zinedine Zidane, who was sent off Sunday for head-butting Materazzi in the chest.

Zidane claimed he was provoked by insults from Materazzi, an Italian defender.

FIFA said it also summoned both players to attend a hearing of its disciplinary committee July 20. A decision is expected later that day.

FIFA declined to comment on possible punishments.

Zidane said in an interview with TF1 television Wednesday that his actions were in response to repeated harsh insults from Materazzi about his mother and sister, but did not go into specifics.

"The proceedings were initiated in the light of initial statements from French player Zinedine Zidane who ... has since indicated in an interview that his actions came in response to repeated provocation," FIFA said in a release.

Zidane has the right to make a written statement, which must be submitted by Tuesday. Materazzi then will be given a copy of the statement so he can respond.

Italy won Sunday's final 5-3 on penalties after the two teams were level at 1-1 after extra time.

Zidane — France's regular penalty taker — was sent off with 10 minutes of extra time remaining.

The two players exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack. Zidane then lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Materazzi insists he never insulted Zidane's mother. Materazzi also said Zidane deserves to keep his Golden Ball award, given to the best player at the World Cup, despite his actions in Sunday's final.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter had suggested that the 34-year-old French captain could be stripped of the title.

"He won it for what he did on the pitch," Materazzi told the Gazzetta dello Sport. "He was the best."

[achebeautiful]

I Saw Red Over Insults To My Mother And Sister, Claims Contrite Zizou


~By John Lichfield and Jastinder Khera in Paris

Zidane is interviewed on French television Zinedine Zidane revealed last night that "serious" and "unacceptable" insults against his mother and sister provoked his explosion of fury towards the end of Sunday's World Cup final.

Zidane refused to repeat on French television the precise words which he said were hurled at him, three times in rapid succession, by the Italy defender Marco Materazzi.

The former France captain apologised "to all the children of the world and to their teachers" for being seen by a global TV audience of two billion head-butting Materazzi in the chest.

Zidane said, however, that "as a man", he had no choice but to respond to the sort of words - "very hard words" - which the Italian player used against his mother and his sister.

"I cannot say that I regret what I did, because to say that would be to accept that what he said was right," Zidane said in a special live interview on Canal+ television in France. "I would rather be punched in the face than hear words like that.

"What I did was unpardonable. I accept that. That is why I apologise, especially to the children of the world, hundreds of millions of children, who were watching. I have children of my own. I always tell them not to behave as I did."

The interview was Zidane's first public comment since he was sent off close to the end of extra time in Sunday's final. He appeared in jeans, with a grey jacket draped over his shoulder, looking calm and relaxed.

When Zidane launched himself at the Italy defender, he was not only 10 minutes from the end of the game but 10 minutes from the end of a glittering career. He had announced that he would retire at the end of the tournament.

"What I want to say is that it should not always be the player who reacts who is punished," he said last night. "For there to be a reaction, there has to be a provocation. I was 10 minutes from the end of my career. Do you think I wanted to do that? No."

The world's press has been speculating for three days on the nature of the insult which so deeply enraged an apparently mild-mannered man.

Some of the speculation - despite claims that lip-readers and Italian translators were used - has flown wide of the goal. Zidane denied last night that Materazzi had called him, or his family, "terrorists". He made no suggestion, as many reports have done, that Materazzi used racist language.

Other shots at solving the mystery may have been more accurate. Several media organisations say that their lip-readers interpreted Materazzi saying, words to the effect, that Zidane was the "mother of a whore" or "everyone knows that your mother is a whore," while other lip-readers attributed equally tasteless remarks about Zidane's sister to the Italian. Materazzi has admitted insulting Zidane but flatly denied that he had attacked his mother. "The mother is sacred," the Italian said on Monday.

It has since emerged that Zidane's mother is very ill - which may further help to explain the violence of his reaction.

Zidane told French TV viewers that the incident began when Materazzi tugged his shirt. There had been no previous exchanges between him and the defender and no grudges from other matches.

Zidane said that he told Materazzi that he would give him his shirt after the match if he wanted it so badly. That confirmed the Italian's version of events.

As he walked away, Zidane said, Materazzi used "words against my mother and my sister, very hard words, very serious words". At first he ignored him. When he repeated the words for the third time, Zidane said, he reacted "as a man would".

As the son of North African immigrants who became the best and most elegant footballer in the world, Zidane has become an important political symbol in France. Although he has never uttered an overtly political statement, he has become an emblem of peaceful reconciliation between races and a "France qui gagne" (France that wins).

In truth, Zidane, though a calm and sweet-tempered man off the field, has often retaliated savagely against verbal or physical abuse on the pitch. Sunday's sending-off was the 15th red card of his 17-year professional career.

After an initial reaction of shock and disbelief, the French public and politicians have rallied around their hero. An opinion poll yesterday suggested that 61 per cent of the French people forgive him for what he did.

In the earlier part of a 20-minute interview, which tantalisingly left Sunday's red card to the end, Zidane adamantly rejected suggestions that he was at loggerheads with the France manager, Raymond Domenech. He was shown footage of himself walking frostily past Domenech after being substituted close to the end of France's 1-1 draw with South Korea. Zidane said his blank expression was generated by "disappointment" at the result of the game. He had always "respected and listened to" Domenech.

While Zidane was speaking, Materazzi issued his own statement in which he denied racially abusing the French player.

"I didn't mention anything about religion, politics or racism," Materazzi said. "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," the Internazionale defender added.

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

Zidane is interviewed on French television
Zinedine Zidane revealed last night that "serious" and "unacceptable" insults against his mother and sister provoked his explosion of fury towards the end of Sunday's World Cup final.

Zidane refused to repeat on French television the precise words which he said were hurled at him, three times in rapid succession, by the Italy defender Marco Materazzi.

The former France captain apologised "to all the children of the world and to their teachers" for being seen by a global TV audience of two billion head-butting Materazzi in the chest.

Zidane said, however, that "as a man", he had no choice but to respond to the sort of words - "very hard words" - which the Italian player used against his mother and his sister.

"I cannot say that I regret what I did, because to say that would be to accept that what he said was right," Zidane said in a special live interview on Canal+ television in France. "I would rather be punched in the face than hear words like that.

"What I did was unpardonable. I accept that. That is why I apologise, especially to the children of the world, hundreds of millions of children, who were watching. I have children of my own. I always tell them not to behave as I did."

The interview was Zidane's first public comment since he was sent off close to the end of extra time in Sunday's final. He appeared in jeans, with a grey jacket draped over his shoulder, looking calm and relaxed.

When Zidane launched himself at the Italy defender, he was not only 10 minutes from the end of the game but 10 minutes from the end of a glittering career. He had announced that he would retire at the end of the tournament.

"What I want to say is that it should not always be the player who reacts who is punished," he said last night. "For there to be a reaction, there has to be a provocation. I was 10 minutes from the end of my career. Do you think I wanted to do that? No."

The world's press has been speculating for three days on the nature of the insult which so deeply enraged an apparently mild-mannered man.

Some of the speculation - despite claims that lip-readers and Italian translators were used - has flown wide of the goal. Zidane denied last night that Materazzi had called him, or his family, "terrorists". He made no suggestion, as many reports have done, that Materazzi used racist language.

Other shots at solving the mystery may have been more accurate. Several media organisations say that their lip-readers interpreted Materazzi saying, words to the effect, that Zidane was the "mother of a whore" or "everyone knows that your mother is a whore," while other lip-readers attributed equally tasteless remarks about Zidane's sister to the Italian. Materazzi has admitted insulting Zidane but flatly denied that he had attacked his mother. "The mother is sacred," the Italian said on Monday.
It has since emerged that Zidane's mother is very ill - which may further help to explain the violence of his reaction.

Zidane told French TV viewers that the incident began when Materazzi tugged his shirt. There had been no previous exchanges between him and the defender and no grudges from other matches.

Zidane said that he told Materazzi that he would give him his shirt after the match if he wanted it so badly. That confirmed the Italian's version of events.

As he walked away, Zidane said, Materazzi used "words against my mother and my sister, very hard words, very serious words". At first he ignored him. When he repeated the words for the third time, Zidane said, he reacted "as a man would".

As the son of North African immigrants who became the best and most elegant footballer in the world, Zidane has become an important political symbol in France. Although he has never uttered an overtly political statement, he has become an emblem of peaceful reconciliation between races and a "France qui gagne" (France that wins).

In truth, Zidane, though a calm and sweet-tempered man off the field, has often retaliated savagely against verbal or physical abuse on the pitch. Sunday's sending-off was the 15th red card of his 17-year professional career.

After an initial reaction of shock and disbelief, the French public and politicians have rallied around their hero. An opinion poll yesterday suggested that 61 per cent of the French people forgive him for what he did.

In the earlier part of a 20-minute interview, which tantalisingly left Sunday's red card to the end, Zidane adamantly rejected suggestions that he was at loggerheads with the France manager, Raymond Domenech. He was shown footage of himself walking frostily past Domenech after being substituted close to the end of France's 1-1 draw with South Korea. Zidane said his blank expression was generated by "disappointment" at the result of the game. He had always "respected and listened to" Domenech.

While Zidane was speaking, Materazzi issued his own statement in which he denied racially abusing the French player.

"I didn't mention anything about religion, politics or racism," Materazzi said. "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," the Internazionale defender added.

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