Though it may not be a proper thread to post here, I think it is meaningful to have this kind of rest since this board is open to people around the world and no doubt the World Cup is another global event!!! Italy won their fourth world crown in Germany, beating France on penalties in Berlin. If Zinedine Zidane's red card was the Final's defining image, Italy's triumph would be remembered as a team.
- Who Won Their Fourth World Cup In 2006
- Who Won 2006 World Cup Winner
- Who Won 2006 World Cup Final
- The World Cup 2006
Ten years ago today, a seismic headbutt shook up the world of football. In the 2006 World Cup final in Berlin on July 9, 2006, with France and Italy locked at 1-1 in extra time, the great Zinedine Zidane — playing in his last-ever match as a player — wandered past Azzurri defender Marco Materazzi. Amid the din of a tense Olympiastadion, thousands in Berlin and millions worldwide watched on as the Frenchman exchanged words with the Italian. Time seemed to freeze as Zidane held his opponent's gaze, locked, loaded, and unleashed an extraordinary headbutt straight into Materazzi's sternum.
It earned Zidane — one of the most decorated players of his time and a god among Les Bleus and Real Madrid fans alike — a red card as he marched furiously past the World Cup trophy, an ignomous end to his playing career. What was said between the two? Rumours and allegations of a slur against Zidane's sister have long since done the rounds as football fans speculated what could prompt such an incredibly volatile reaction.
As fate would have it, the incident involved both goal-scorers in the 1-1 draw. Zidane scored the opener with an audacious penalty kick that went in off the crossbar, before Materazzi equalised with a thumping header (ironic?) from a corner.
Who Won Their Fourth World Cup In 2006
Italy, which had beaten the Socceroos in the round of 16, went on to win the final 5-3 on penalties to clinch a fourth World Cup title. Earlier this month, Materazzi told French daily L'Equipe he used 'stupid words' to rile Zidane. 'If you go to a football pitch in the suburbs of Rome, Naples, Turin, Milan or Paris, you'll realise that what I said was quite soft compared to what you hear there,' he said. 'What annoyed me most was that some supporters or journalists said that I insulted his mother. I would never have allowed myself to offend his mother, because I lost mine a long time ago.' The Italian claimed Zidane had provoked him earlier by saying 'If you want my jersey, I'll give it to you at the end.
Who Won 2006 World Cup Winner
Who Won 2006 World Cup Final
'You see on the images that he's talking to me. I asked him two times to repeat himself to be sure that I understood.
The World Cup 2006
The third time I responded because I understood that he was making fun of me. 'In fact, we were playing the same match, we had both scored but he was the great champion and I was useless — I wasn't in the same world. That's how I took his mocking, and I reacted.' Zidane had been drafted back into the French team after Les Bleus struggled to qualify for the 2006 tournament at the ripe old age of 34, and proved to be his national team's talisman right up until that fateful moment in the final. Nowadays, Zinedine Zidane is swanning about as Real Madrid's manager, while Materazzi is currently the manager of Indian Super League club Chennaiyin. Topics:,,, First posted July 20, 2016 16:02:33.