Materazzi makes admission
Speaking to Gazzetta Dello Sport, World Cup hero (and villain) Marco Materazzi admitted that he insulted ZZ, prior to being headbutted in the chest. However, he denied calling him a “dirty terrorist” or bringing ZZ’s mother into it because as he put it “for me a mother is sacred“. Materazzi lost his own mother when he was 14.
According to “the Matrix” as Inter fans call him, he held Zidane’s shirt for a few seconds which irritated Zidane who turned around and looked him up and down before saying arrogantly, “if you really want my shirt, I’ll give it to you after the match“. Materazzi responded to this with an insult. When specifically asked whether he targeted ZZ’s sister, he described the insult as “one of those insults which one often says and which sometimes comes out during a match“….No denial then - sounds like the theory of the “sister” jibe (which we reported yesterday) wins it then!
July 11th, 2006 at 4:43
This is more of an admission than I would expect. Clearly anything said by a member of a team famous for phantom dives and feigned injuries would be expected to display a similar flair for telling the truth.
July 11th, 2006 at 10:31
It’s increible how everyone is focussing on what Materazzi said to Zidane… Seems like people are forgetting that Zidane actually *headbutted* the Italian defender. Every week players all around the world insult each other. Most of the times they ignore the insults, sometimes they don’t.
You would expect a so-called champion like Zidane to keep his cool, given his class and experience. He completely lost it on Sunday, and was rightly sent off. If FIFA were serious, they would ban him for at least 4-5 matches.
Regardless of how this ends, Italy are World Champions: they were the best team in the tournament and deserved to win! Well done Italia!
July 12th, 2006 at 9:51
I can’t beleive that people are turning the fault on Materazzi. Whats the problem with you people?
Can a real soccer fan try to excuse a totally unacceptable head-butt by saying that Materazzi insulted Zidane. Players insult each other continuously during a match, some insult back but Zizou’s class was transmitted with an obscene head-butt … and now those who ‘think’ they are football fans, are trying to put Materazzi into shame whilst absolving Zidane - Totally unbeleivable.
We need to admit that what we thaught was a hero has turned into a villain who is not able to control his emotions not even during a World Cup final match and last match of his career.
Zidane should be ashamed for his actions and FIFA should be more ashamed for giving him the best player award. Shame on those trying to defend Zidane … some actions can never be excused (Zidane’s is a case in point!).
July 13th, 2006 at 1:48
If ZZ really said that about giving his shirt at the end of the game, then he is not just one of the best football players in the world, he has also an excellent sense of humor! Bravo Zizou, on est tous avec toi.
January 1st, 2007 at 7:55
cool