World Cup 2006 News
What Materazzi really told Zidane
By Nicholas Rigillo Jul 11, 2006, 11:51 GMT
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Marco Materazzi - View Marco Materazzi Pictures - Marco Materazzi News
Zinedine Zidane - View Zinedine Zidane Pictures - Zinedine Zidane News
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Latest Headlines in World Cup 2006
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- 5. FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Marco Materazzi
Older Talkback
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Materrazzi uttered unexcusable racial insults against Zidane, and he dared tell him that he rather f*** his mother and sister rather than have his shirt after the game after they were harmlessly exchanging, smiles and words right before hand in the box area. Zidane might have lost the world cup (eventhough I firmly believe the result would not have changed with Zidane in the game until the end) but he retained his honour. He was loved now he is admired by French fans and fans of greatness all over the world. Those who criticize Zidane and want to take away some of his untouchable out-of-this-world career and latest world cup unbelievable performance are either jealous or ignorant or simply put would never understand that one's family honour is much important than anything else! Even a world cup! This is something that small tiny racist Materazzi and for that matter all Zidane's critics would never understand. I am not a big Chirac admirer, but one of his greatest moments was yesterday's speech addressing Zidane and reiterating his admiration for this exceptional footballer and human being despite the latest sad event ten minutes before the end of his career! Uttered anywhere else in any other setting Materazzi could have been prosecuted and tried for racially insluting another human being. Yet on a soccer field, Zidane has to take it and accept and Materazzi gets away with it. Zidane got his punishment already on the spot, as he walked head down past the Trophy that he deserves more so than anybody else in this Universe, one more time before the curtain drops on his truly galactic career. Now let's see if Fifa will truly stand behind its claim that there is no room for racism on a soccer field, and pusnish Materazzi! Maybe someone in that institution has half Zidane's balls and honour and actually will honour their pledges and investigate this matter fully and prosecute the racist Materazzi, and his likes will learn a lesson or two!
Who can blame Zidane for his actions. A dark shadow? What kind of meaningless drivel is that?
Poor little Zidane has his feeling hurt...boo hoo hoo. Maybe Materazzi did say everything he is accused of, so what? Who is to say that Zidane didn't say anything to provoke Materazzi. Its not beyond the realm of possibility that there were insults traded back and forth between Zidane and Materazzi. Zidane is a big baby that can't control his emotions.
I am positve Zedane reacted the way he did because Materazzi said despeacable words about the Greatest of them all the Mighty Allah. I therefore declare a Jihad against the player
Zidane admirer...well said! I cannot believe the lenghts to which the global press is going too in order to tarnish Zidane's career without knowing what was said to him! Up to now, Materazzi has only admitted that he said something...he has neither the class nor balls to admit what he said was wrong or apologize.
I will give Materazzi some credit though, at least he is up front and honest about one thing...He is ignorant. I would have used other words in addition to ignorant to describe him, but he probably did not know any better...he is a man of few words (not that he doesn't talk alot, but more that he only knows a few words).
If anyone has lived in Italy (and I have) it is pretty safe to say that more than likely what was said was a racial comment toward a member of his family. Italians are really not known for class and very much so for bigotry... I would not expect anything less than this to come out in the press later. Too bad though that Zidane did not follow it up with an Eric Contona flying kick to the head...
Any one in our culture (other cultures too) would not think twice about throwing a shiny cup in the garbage if comes to sisiters and mothers. Matterzi did not really mean whatever he said on the pitch. Neverthless, Zidane FELT an attack on his honor, we would've had no respect for him if he didn't react. A head-butt to the chest was a measured and appropriate response. We can get fanatical about sport events, but at the end of the day it's just big kids playing together. Let's move on.
you all must be completly mad.. first of all it doesn't matter what the italien defender said or not zidane's response was appoling, and instead of condemning his actions you let him off easilly. secondly i've heared too many so called 'experts' saying the Italien said this and the Italien said that to believe them, and i don't believe an 'innocent man' waits such a long time to defend and expalin his actions. lastly i would just like to remind everybody that zidane was never the squeeky clean player he was made out to be, (14 sending offs in his career including at least two that i can rememeber for foul play: one was a stomp on an opposing Saudi player in the world cup and the other believe it or not for head-butting an opponent in a champions league match) so frankly i'm not surprised.
Eyal! what if you were in Zidane's shoes and someone called you dirty f***ing jew and inslulted your religion, race and hospital bed ridden mother? Leave aside all non-sense about being cool and just open up you mind.. Zidane is above the rest of football crowd but he still has a heart and feelings!
Well said Eyal. Also, its funny that some who complain about Materazzi being a racist turn around and make gross generalizations about Italians having no class and are bigoted. If Zidane had any class, he should have proven that he was the bigger man and ignored the insults. Instead, I suspect that insults we're hurled back an forth through out the match between the two. Zidane should not be forgiven...he should be rebuked.
I saw 20 cards given in one game the other night. I am sure Zidane and other players let things go sometimes, but other times they react and get sent off. Zidane was probaly taragted more than an average player. These yellow/red cards rules are silly. It should be if you get a foul (any foul, any where), the other team will get a free kick close to your 18-yrad line. Same punishment if you dive.
Zidane reacted and paid the price for it. He did not 'get off easily'! I think the price was worth it. If Mettarzi said 'something really really bad, and really unusal', then he can apologise to Zidane in private. He may well.
Italians are known for their anti-semithistic crap.
A lady that is my neighbour said that Mussolini was the greatest
Itaian president.
I tend to understand more of that now. Along with the anti-sicilian
jokes that come from people in Northern Italy....the joke being that
Sicilians are not really italian, because they are half Black??
All I have to say to this is: F... YOU Italy....this world cup has
been the worst ever.
Moreover -- it seems that racism is not the only problem in Italy.
Days before the final, italian teams were convicted in bribing and
max-fixing.
All I have to say to that is: Does a country, who is Racist and ruled
by Mafia, deserve to be named the World Champions.
ZIDANE - MUCH RESPECT TO YOU AND YOUR SENSE OF DIGNITY!
the press is horrible!!!!!
sticks and stones may break my bones but WORDS will * NeVer HuRt * me
zidane is arguably overrated - the french NATIONAL TEAM - with exception to THURAM - have always been beasts on the field - their true colors came out..........gallas has said: ! i want to smash materazzis face ! hmmmmmmm - honorable..........LOL
IF zidane is this and that - WHY would the likes of matterazzi get to him in the MOST IMPORTANT game of his LIFE?
BECAUSE...................
zidane left the sport as he should have - his TRUE self - a poor sportsman who BaReLeY got his undeserved 'penalty' passed !GIGI BUFFON!
anyone that defends zidane's animalistic behavior - well - you mirror what he is
Apparently this article and its comment thread have been hijacked by militant Guardian readers who 'know' in advance what really happened and that it was a 'racist' incident. I'm really unease with that as I know what bigots could cause in their zeal. I hope the whole matter will be settled down carefully assessing all possibilities and not under pressure of various extremists pursuing their unhealthy agendas.
If, and I mean IF, Materazzi used a racial insult toward Zidane, then Zizou was absolutely justified, Cup or no Cup. Some things are more important than winning, fame and glory. Only Materazzi and Zidane know the truth.
However, to everyone who believes that 'Whatever Matarazzi said, Zidane should not have reacted the way he did' - you are WRONG! Whether on the pitch or in life RACISM IS NEVER ACCEPTABLE. PERIOD. It is not a matter of hurt feelings or a bad temper. If you use racial slurs, you and you alone are responsible for what happens to you.
I would have liked to see Zizou rise above the insult but if his race, religion or family were insulted, then I support him 100%.
Everyone is talking about Zizou's 14 sendings-off out of over 800 matches, but is anyone talking about Materazzi's history and reputation of foul play? He has the nickname 'La bouche' for a reason. He has also bragged to the media about his taunting and ability to antagonize other players.
Neither man should be judged until the truth is revealed and then it should be remembered that both men are only human. They were exhausted and I'm sure feeling the pressure of so much being expected of them by millions of people. It was a sad episode for both men.
If this incedent happened during the US-Italy match, and Materazzi hurled a slur against an American and it was an American that did the headbutting, the Zidane defenders would have applauded Materazzi. The entire french nation would be calling for the expulsion of the USA team from FIFA...or better yet, they would be calling for a war crimes tribunal against the American player.
Punch me in the face, I may let it go, use a racist slur on me, I will smash your face, world cup or not. Period. Anybody who has been racially abused knows how much it hurts. I have always admired the way Zidane plays football, but now I have great respect for him for his action. In football, people hide behind the rules to hurl racist abuses at opponents.
If Zidane did not react the way he did, the whole issue would not have come to light but this is what happens in football sometimes. Racist players use racial slurs because they know that if they are physically attacked for what they said, a red card will be given to the opponent. I admire Zidane's courage.
In Italy, as well as Spain and some few other countries, monkey noises are made when black players are on the ball. In Lazio, some fans carry the nazi flag. Materazzi's father was a coach in Lazio.
Zinédine Zidane, the iconic French soccer super star, before my eyes and the eyes of a billion other soccer fans worldwide head butted an Italian player, was redcarded and thus ejected from the World Cup Finals last Sunday resulting in France’s loss. What precipitated such a heinous act, such blatant unsportsmanlike conduct at the end of a brilliant career? We are astounded.
Yet, Zizou is not a saint. He is a man and as such is flawed. Did the Italian insult his mother, his sister, his wife, his patriotism? Did he call him a terrorist? All these things, the Italian denies. Zidane, himself, remains silent.
I look at the pictures of this man and wonder. I am a woman and although I am of an age and generation that did not participate in sports the way young women of today do, I do have a competitive streak. I do hate to lose. But, except when I think of how a woman can react in order to save her child, I have trouble understanding the fierceness that men have during a high stakes athletic competition. It is a fierceness they display as warriors because is not athletic competition a stylized form of war, war played with rules. Is not the World Cup a war among nations to see who is the strongest and mightiest of them all. The winning of this Cup must have meant, do I dare say it, the World to Zidane.
Yet, he let through that away. What could have been the ultimate farewell song to his career in soccer, a victory that would have given him a place as one of the greatest soccer players to ever play the game, came to a halt in the instant he turned and in what looked like a controlled act by an out of control man ended it all.
So, I wonder. What was said? What snapped in his brain to make him forget about glory for himself and his team and his nation? What is he thinking now? Does he regret what he did in a moment of rashness when his blood ran too hot? Or, was it a matter of honor, a code of honor that we in the 21st century do longer understand that led him to his decision to throw glory away?
I think back to what I saw while watching the game and what I saw replayed. It was not a man who looked carried away by emotion doing something without thinking. It looked unhurried almost methodical although it happened quickly. In my ears, I hear the French announcer say: “Mais, pourquoi? Mais, pourquoi?” with anguish in his voice.
I ask the same:”But, why? But, why?”
how dare anyone generalise about italians being racist. Our mother is full Italian and catholic and our father is Arab and a muslim. There is no straight story about the incident, therefore no one has the right to insult a whole culture and country. and Italy did deserve to win, despite whatever happened you cannot use the actions of one man against the whole team. People seem to be using what happened as an excuse to ridicule and insult people who do not have anythging to do with it. plus the people who say he is right for defending his honour and his mother or sister they then say italians are this and that, they do not see that they are disrespecting other people cultures and their mother or father. if the world was about head-butting someone everytime something was said about your mama we would all have cracks in our skulls.
THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO BE THINKING ABOUT!!!!!!!!! get over it!!!!
and you know what....................
we are still the Campioni del mondo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Leave materazzi aloneee....zidane is a Goat...he knew france were gna lose so he went straight 4 it. whatever was said ..if zidane reallyyy wanted to win he would have left it 4 after the match.. VIVA ITALIA they really r the champions of the world...ur all jst sore losers!!...its sad to see a hero like zidane to leave lookin like zero! ur all jst a bunch of haters....get a lifee ....bloody hell!!!!! LOOOOOL!!!! bye bye! DNT HATE...APPRECIATE
I think Zidane was absolutely correct in his response! No one should have to tolerate any kind of verbal abuse. I want to know who verbally abused who not just in this final but in all the matches leading up to the final. Please I am very serious. All those players verbally abusing another person should be expelled from the sport of soccer forever, Hell, they should expell all players who verbally abuse another player or person, from any sport! Goddamn it, they should expell anyone in school who verbally abuses another student! Freaking A they have shot students dead for verbal abuse in school. So what's the problem with a playfull headbutt. He did not use his hands! Anyway, maybe Zidane can just headbutt everyone who insults him from now on. The next person who verbally abuses, insults or in any way infringes on my rights, as I determine them, I will knock them down flat without warning. My only wish is that my behavior can be viewed by the entire world so they can see what an ass I am!
First off, Materazzi grabbing the shirt/nipple and followed by insults does not demonstrate good sportsmanship and that was a classless act.
Zidane was a great football player, and the reality is, he is just an ordinary human being, as he certainly cannot control his temper. This much he has repeatedly shown on numerous occasions in the past.
To praise his soccer skills.... sure, but to praise him as a human being.... that is a joke as he has not been able to show restraint when the people who depended on him the most really needed him. His attack on Materazzi was about selfish retribution, not family honour.
Family honor is about how someone honours his family, not about seeking violent retribution on those who offend your family. Zidane's family was never at risk of being hurt, but Zidane's ego was. If Zidane were to have brushed off the insult, would he have honoured his family any less? I think not. Walking away was the right thing to do. Walking away would justify praising him as a human being.
Zidane, you were a great football player. You are also an average human being like the rest of us. You are forgiven and may you find peace and happiness for the rest of your days.
'If Zidane did not react the way he did, the whole issue would not have come to light but this is what happens in football sometimes. Racist players use racial slurs because they know that if they are physically attacked for what they said, a red card will be given to the opponent. I admire Zidane's courage.'
The words and actions of Zidane are very influential. To think that this head butt was his way of letting the world know about racism in the sport is a total farce. The head butt was a selfish act of retribution to satisfy his bruised ego. If Zidane were thinking about the well being of the sport over his ego, he could have addressed the issue with FIFA officials after the game. He could even get involved with FIFA after his retirement. Do you really think he was trying to put a stop to racism right then and there? Do you really think he has succeeded? NO
I support Zidane; if he was wrong he paid for it. People who expect him to take insults so they can feel good about some game should go and find a life on their own. I also support Matterazi, no reason to believe he is a bad person just because he insulted someone in the pitch. Game over.
Then we get this Italian parliamentarian (not a player in the pitch) insulting blacks, Muslims and other on the French team! Are you kidding me..! Does he know of the history of racial discrimination against Italians in the new world? He’s probably a friend of the former thief/prime minister. They don’t speak for the good, proud, honest, and decent Italians.
zidane should know better he lived in italy for a long time he knows these kind of talks are normal and he has no right to react that way and the decision of the fifa to ban materazzi 2 days and zidane 3 is not right coz now any player can just react to any player on the field coz the other player will also be punished this way
Zidane will go down as one of the greatest players in the world no matter what. This man gave football his life and i am very glad and honoured to have had the privelege of watching him play. His actions at the World Cup were unacceptable, but I forgive him because no one is perfect. As for Matterazzi, he should be ashamed of his actions because he showed no respect for one of the greatest football players alive. Actions like Matterazzi's are desroying football because there is no place in soceity or on the pitch for such hatefull remarks. Zidane did not respond correctly either, but he is only human. Its a shame that the world cup had to end on such a sour note, and i hope that the world sees how racism and hate is destroying the sport.
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