What Was Zidane Thinking?

Question

I think this head-butt to the Italian player does irreparable damage not only to Zidane's image, but to the image of French football in the world stage. What do you think?

If you're going to be frustrated or angry, take your frustrations out on the field by scoring a goal or defending the ball--don't go hitting an opposing player.

He got red-carded and then he argues about it when the whole world saw him do it. What was he arguing about? That the Italian player dived? Give me a break. What a shame to the game of football. I'd be ashamed to show my face in public after that, if I were Zidane.

If he wants to repair his image, I would at least think about sending a letter of apology first to the Italian player he struck in such a cowardly manner, and another letter of apology to all the fans of soccer (addressed to all the fans of soccer, that is; not individual letters, of course!), and finally a letter of apology to FIFA.

What a way to end your career....

My, my Mauricio...I guess I touched a nerve with you. Ha!!! You must be a poor, heartbroken French SOCCER fan. And since when are words gay? Only people are gay. Show some class and some education and don't get all offended when someone talks about your precious football. I happened to play football and "American football" and baseball in school. I respect all three of those sports--so YOU shut up--and here in the US we only call soccer soccer because we already have football here--what you call "American" football. A''ight? How does it feel to lose on penalty kicks, by the way? Maybe if your top player hadn't head-butted an Italian player, he would have been around to kick a penalty shot. If he's silly enough to respond to verbal abuse by striking someone physically--instead of responding by kicking a goal--then that's entirely his fault. I know more about SOCCER than you do. Can you name the Ukrainian goalie in the WC? No. I'll tell you: Oleksandr Shovkovski. No Google™ either!

Hi Emma H, if you see my friend Mauricio P there at your party--the sour-mouthed little fellow above you--tell him to have a drink for me! And for Zidane too. (''/)

I'm so scared of you, Molly-cio; I'm shaking....

"((''/))''

You are a fool, Molly-cio; you fell for my trap. I just threw the "soccer" word out there to see who'd be foolish enough to bite on my little sparring trap. You did notice I used the word "football" before that? So you should have known I was just playing with your mind.

And the entire question was just bait for weak-minded peeps like you, who can't take a little criticism--and who immediately respond with low-level words and insults. Learn some English before you write in an English forum. What's "first of"--is that supposed to have been "first off"? And you also had a comma-splice in there in this sequence of clauses: "You don't have any idea of what that guy told him, Zidane comes from a very humble background, his parents are refugees and his religion is very criticized." You can't have three consecutive clauses separated merely by commas. Try a semicolon in there, or make it two separate sentences. [End of lesson.]

dark_silnce,

"I wonder why you attack Zidan like this way..."

"I wonder why Zidane attacked Marco Materazzi in that way?" should be the question.

My Molly-cio,

If you can speak Spanish, show me. I'm Mexican-American and am a translator. Show me your Spanish. By the way, "magget" is spelled maggot.

That's really interesting, all those places you've been too. What do you want, a cookie?

Hasta luego, menso. ¡Me la jalas! (''/)

Great Dayne,

There is no violent action that is ever condoned by anything. Head-butting an opponent is not an act that can ever be exused, in any sport. A lot of people here seem to think that "we have to find out what Materazzi said to him." Listen, children: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Remember that? If you are a trained professional, you will learn to ignore other people's idiotic comments. Sure, if it's true that Materazzi called Zidane a terrorist, so what? Did he hurt him in any way? Try some mediation. It'll show you how to keep cool even in the most intense situations. If someone wants to act stupid and show their intelligence by insulting your beliefs or your family, let them be. Don't let them sucker you into losing your patience or your calm demeanor--and you definitely don't want to respond with violence. Just think of the kung fu dogma: the number-one rule of fighting is...avoid all fights. You hit back only when...

...someone strikes you first. Don't say, "We should know what Materazzi said to him" because that's not going to fly with me. I don't care if Materazzi told Zidane to go **** his mother. You don't let an opponent bait you like that. Materazzi was probably "fishing" for something like that, and Zidane bit the worm. Yes, shame on Materazzi for resorting to such base tactics, but when the fish is caught, who do really blame--the big bad fisherman for being such a heartless fiend and tricking the fish into his basket, or the poor dumb little fish who didn't know any better and took the fisherman's tasty bait?

Oops--it should be, "who do you really blame..." in the last "Details" §.

My, my...you people are so violent. What's wrong? How are you going to raise your kids if you're so violent? You want to headbutt my face? (Sigh...) Such intelligent thoughts.... Is this how you would talk to your mother? Why so violent? Shame on you. All I did was ask a completely innocent, neutral question. Don't tell me that if your mom came up and asked you, "Where's the toothpaste?" you'd headbutt her in the face. That would be utterly barbaric of you. Always ask yourself, before you say or do anything: "How would this sound if I were talking to (or doing this to) my mom?"

Great Dayne, that's brilliant. Stop sniffing that cockroach repellent and get some therapy. It's killing your mind. Do glue.

Weymouth Crips? What the...? Don't ever come to LA and say that--you'll go back to Weymouth in a box. What a dummy--Weymouth, Massachusetts doesn't even have Crips. Are those your imaginary gang-member friends you're talking about?

I'm so scared. (((''.))) That's me shaking.

Okay, folks, one more hour and I get to pick the best answer. Who wants the 10 points? Only a brilliant answer gets it. Great Dayne, unless you apologize in a 1000-character letter to me, I think you're disqualified. Sorry.... But then again, you've got your imaginary buddies. And I know there's a Weymouth in England; I was just baiting you.

Mauricio...I'm sorry, but you're just too violent. I can't pick you either.

Zizou--if you hadn't tried to headbutt me over the Internet, you'd probably still be in the running. I'm sorry you hit your face and broke your computer screen, but that's what you get for being violent--just a bloody nose and a bad headache the next day--(like you-know-who).

And Azmattanauli, did you mean to say, "ignominy"? Sorry, I can't pick bad spellers either. Wait...ignominy? What did I do that was so disgraceful or humiliating? Do you even know the meaning of the word? Did you mean "oblivion"? That word would fit better in your inane ranting.

Answer 1

No one know what really happened between the two!
Zidane saw his career ending badly when he was flashed with the RED CARD! He headbutts Marco Materazzi after a verbal communication with him. And off he ends his career in disgrace. Self-control ZIDANE, that we all call good sportsmanship!!!
Dont get me wrong I LOVE THE GUY! I think he is one of the best players ever, the most gifted even! But this isnt new to him... Few years ago, Zidane headbutted Kientz in a Champions League match for Juventus against Hamburger SV.

Answer 2

The person who wrote this has failed to analyse the situation from both sides. Obviously you are a younger person which can be observed from your language and grammar. Now Zidane is the best player that was on the field in that game, followed closely by Franck Ribery. If the author of this review had taken 10 minutes to find out the cause of the action maybe he would not have put his foot in his mouth as he already did. The italian defender Marco Materazzi made a number very serious racially discriminatory remarks toward Zidane. Including calling him a dirty terrorist. Now you say you are from america and i know that americans have a paranoia about non-white people. This remark from the racist italian pig deserved an action such as Zidanes if not worse. Had it been me i would have knocked him unconscious if not killed him. There is no reason that can warrant this remark except jealousy. Materazzi knew he could not handle Zidane and that he would score sooner or later. So a plan was made to get him off the field. This is not football/soccer etiquette and i believe along with the entire of the Weymouth Crips that Materazzi should be banned from football/soccer for life and his earnings from the cup stripped from him as fines. Zidane should be granted an apology from Materazzi not the other way. So author my advise to you is to remove this page of yours and lay low, because you never no what can happen when a black man gets angry. LOL brace yourself america!!! And Italy!!! mwuhahahaha VGF Great Dayne WAAT!!!

Answer 3

Zidane is above all an excellent footballer. He is also known to be modest, humble, and even a bit shy. I think some people mentioned it, the real question is what could materazzi have said that would make Zidane so angry. Apparently, the Italian player called Zidane a racial slur as well as a "terrorist". Perhaps headbutting the guy wasn't the best course of action, and yeah, maybe it did cost France the world cup. But all I have to say is that it was a HELL OF A HEADBUTT. Everyone says what a disgrace Zidane went out as. I think the head butt was pretty impressive and that Italian got what he deserved. Look at Diego Maradona. He was a dirty player and is now currently fat and does drugs. Is he still one of the best players ever? Yeah. He is. At least if Zidane got a headbutt, it was for a pretty awesome headbutt that was superpowerful and supercool. hahaha. Zidane, you are my hero.

Answer 4

Hey Zidane fans, real classy guy. If he "thinks" there was a racial slur (that's it, make it about race rather than a game), maybe he should say something back or better yet, keep his cool and try to win the game for his team and country. Instead, the Italians did a great job of getting under his skin and Zidane folded under pressure; typical. You see this in sports all the time, so stop crying. When people try to intimidate Tiger Woods or Lance Armstrong, they suck it up, shut up and then go out and kick some butt. Not Zidane though, he does the first reactionary thing he could think of. It has nothing to do with the game, wether you call it soccer or football, it happens in every sport. Don't make it about race, because it's about getting in your opponents head. Obviously with a hot head like Zidane, it was not difficult. Go Italy!!

Answer 5

Zidane lost his cool, apparently reacting to taunting by Materazzi. He's been such an amazing player for so many years that I hope people will look at his career in total and not the way it ended. He was well deserving of the Golden Ball award, despite the head butt. I hope, for Materazzi's sake, that the investigation into the incident doesn't conclude that Materazzi used religious slurs toward Zidane.

You'd have to assume that it was something pretty bad that Materazzi said to Zidane for him to react that way in extra time of the World Cup final. He had to know that his career was over as soon as he did it.

Answer 6

Well I thought Zidane did it purposely to be removed from the field. Now, I know it is not the best way to be leaving from the field especially if it was the last game of his career but if you guys recall, Zidane looked pretty shaky coming back up after the collision that left him with a sour right shoulder injury in the previous half... Yes, it looked like they treated him but also looked like he wanted to be substituted by another player. But then WHY did he stay??? That you will need to ask the French Coach... So after all the trash talking, the pushing, the shoving; the injuries, fatigue and last but not least some more talk trash no wonder he did that...

Answer 7

FIRST OFF...If I was frustrated or angry, I think I would take it out on YOUR ugly *** face...

That being said, This Italian player called Zidane "A Terrorist." He followed that statement by telling ZIDANE that he (being Algerian; hence "A TERRORIST") should not even be playing for France (which he's been doing since 96'). Nice words coming from some young punk who plays for the same country that was once led by Mussolini? Don't you think?

So, let's give some respect where respect is due. Zidane is a human being that got caught up in the heat of the moment trying to stand up for himself... (In retrospect; to any and all persons that would dare use antisemetic statements) no matter what the consequences.

If you ask me...He should of hit him in the head and drawn some blood. Yelling antisemetic remarks at anyone should be punishable by a double Zidane head but!

He was the best player of the game and the whole world cup for crying out loud! It's too bad that Italian player couldn't respect that and try to play better...Instead he had to resort to egging him on, and to try and get him disqualified. Pretty pre-school if you ask me?

Zidane, is a man who was born and raised in tough ghettos and a world of great diversity, but still went on to become (arguably) the most recognized and influencial soccer player in the world. What was that Italian player's name again? EXACTLY! No one remembers him... Just a vague image of his pathetic *** laying down, knocked out, on the field...nough' said.

Answer 8

First of, Zidane can do whatever the hell he wants. You don't have any idea of what that guy told him, Zidane comes from a very humble background, his parents are refugees and his religion is very criticized. He does not have any responsibility with stupid "soccer fans" like you that think players play to please them and they do everything to please the fans. I bet you are only a fan because of the World Cup and before you didn't even know who Zidane or Riquelme, or Abbondanzieri are. So SHUT UP, you don't know anything about pride, dignity and respect because you only watch games on the TV!!!. Experience a real FOOTBALL match (not your gay *** thing you call soccer).
Dude, I might need to improve my english, but guess what I know how to write in spanish, portuguese, french and german. Now I don't think you know more about FOOTBALL than me, I have been in the Maracana, El Boca, the National Stadium in Peru, I go all the time to the Home Depot Center, I have been to an english match in London, and one in Ireland. You shut up, I don't use offensive words, it's your silly *** mind that makes you think you can say anything to me and feel safe behind your stupid screen while watching porn magget.

Answer 9

Get a life folks. Zidane at age 34 has won one scoccer world cup, numerous awards for being the best scoccer player and has his name written down in scoccer histroy as one of the four players to score more than 4 goals in the finals.

What have you accomplished?

Sitting on the sidelines, living a less than accomplished life, asking pointless questions?

GET A LIFE, you perhaps will pass away in ignomity, unless you do something about it and make a positive contribution to the world.

Answer 10

I respected Zidane and even if I m italian I thought he will help his team to win!I don't know what was he thinking but I m sorry for him,The Magician ended his career like that!He was a great footballer until now,he dissapointed all his fans.Anyway I'm happy that Italy won(of course),I don't have a voice right now,because we had a great party!:)