What did Materazzi say to Zidane that set him off?
My guess is that it was something about Zidane's arab background.
Not that it justifies, by the way, Zidane's actions.
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What did Materazzi say to Zidane that set him off?
My guess is that it was something about Zidane's arab background.
Not that it justifies, by the way, Zidane's actions.
What a way to end his international play, a red card for intent. He had played so well and then to do that.
He's not known for that sort of thing - hence my gut feeling that Materazzi must have said something fairly incendiary.
Well, he was ejected for needlessly stomping a Saudi player, I think, in '98. His reaction today was unfathomable - he played for years in Italy, as well as in France and all over Europe in various team cups and internationals, and I can't imagine anything that Materazzi could have said to him, that someone else had not said to him before. It was sad to see him go like that, and even sadder that he was so ashamed he couldn't come out to get his 2nd place medal.
Too bad and, as an Italian, a thoroughly unsatisfying victory. Still, maybe some karma for the Euro 2000 final when Italy played much better, dominated most of the game, but the French won on a golden goal by Trezeguet.
Yep, that was in the qualifiers for '98 (if my memory serves me). Still, as you say, having played for so long, his actions are still surprising.
I had forgotten that Trezeguet missed the penalty and scored in 2000. I guess it is karma.
The best part is the shocked French announcer: "Et pourquoi? Et pourquoi?"
He's saying "Mais pourquoi?" ... but why?
It was Zidane The Star, just like David Beckham kicking the player in 1998.
My comment is: the hypocrisy of people picking on Rooney while forgiving Zidane is telling.
http://gmc.globo.com/GMC/0,,2465-p-M500183-MC18,00.html
Did people really pick on Rooney? He did something wrong, deserving a red card, but most agreed it was a rather run-of-the-mill red card foul during active play. Stupid, maybe vicious, but he was there fighting for the ball. Even the English public, who were justifiedly pissed off because he ruined their team's chances, were more incensed against C. Ronaldo for demanding the red card than with Rooney himself.
Zidane's foul on the other hand was away from the ball, fully intentional and premeditated (he turned around and came back to Materazzi to hit him). What I find surprising is that all the attention is focused on what Materazzi may have told Zidane, but no one seems to have wondered what van Bommel told Figo to cause his headbutt (which was relatively mild, despite van Bommel's acting, and in the course of an active argument) before asking for a long disqualification.
By the way, the Guardian says (I don't know on what basis) that Materazzi called him a "terrorist". If that's the case, Zidane has a really short fuse.
Andrea says: By the way, the Guardian says (I don't know on what basis) that Materazzi called him a "terrorist".
AP is reporting the same information. If some of you out there are still irked that France did not emerge victorious, this little diversion might help.
Sorry folks, I've had one of those days where, try as I might, I can't get things to work right the first time around. Apparently, this is no exception. Here is the aformentioned AP story.
Apparently Zidane isn't telling people what was said other than that it was serious, FIFA are apparently investigating the incident. According to FIFA rules if a player uses racial slurs in a knockout match the team is disqualified.