Zinedine Zidane said that Italian defender Marco Materazzi insulted his mother and his sister during the World Cup final against Italy.
2006-07-12 08:10:58
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answer #1
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answered by prawn_headed 5
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Updated: July 12, 2006
Zidane: Materazzi insulted my mother and sister
Zinedine Zidane has publicly apologised for his sending-off in the World Cup final, but claimed he did not regret his actions against Marco Materazzi.
Zidane, who was captaining his country in his final match before retirement, stated that Materazzi insulted his mother and sister in the seconds leading up to the incident, which saw the France midfielder thrust his head into the Italy defender's chest.
'I reacted badly and I would like to apologise for it,' Zidane told Canal Plus. 'I would like to apologise because a lot of children were watching the match. I do apologise but I don't regret my behaviour because regretting it would mean he was right to say what he said.
'There was no tension with Materazzi before or during the match.
'He just put his hand onto my shirt and I told him to stop. I told him that if he wanted it I could give it to him at the end of the match.
'Then he said very harsh words to me and repeated them several times. I left but then I went back towards him and things went very fast. The words he said concerned my mother and sister.
'I heard them once, then twice, and the third time I couldn't control myself. I am a man and some words are harder to hear than actions. I would have rather been knocked down than hear that.'
'Afterwards I explained to the referee that I had been provoked, but my behaviour is not forgivable,' Zidane said.
Without Zidane, who had earlier given France the lead with a penalty, extra-time finished with the score locked at 1-1, and Zidane's team lost the penalty shoot-out 5-3 to Italy.
Asked whether he plans to attend FIFA hearings into the incident, Zidane said that he would seek to defend himself.
'I will go and I will tell everything I have just said,' he added. 'The reaction is always punished but if there is no provocation there is no reaction. The guilty person is the one who provokes.
'If I reacted that way, it is because something bad happened. Do you really believe that 10 minutes before the end of my career I would be able to make such a bad gesture? The provocation was very serious.'
The incident was a sad way to end what has been a glittering career for Zidane, but he insisted he would not change his mind about retiring.
'This is a decision I have made and I will not go back on it,' he said. 'This is definite. I will not play again.'
Materazzi himself, who scored the equaliser for Italy on Sunday, made a statement of his own while Zidane was speaking on French television.
'I didn't mention anything about religion, politics or racism,' he said. 'I didn't insult his mother. I lost my mother when I was 15 years old and still get emotional when I talk about it.
'Naturally, I didn't know that his mother was in hospital but I wish her all the best.
'Zidane is my hero and I have always admired him a lot.'
2006-07-12 15:09:57
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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PARIS -- French soccer star Zinedine Zidane apologized for head-butting an Italian opponent during the World Cup final, saying Wednesday that he was provoked by insults about his mother and sister.
"I apologize, to all the children" who watched the match Sunday, Zidane said in his first, highly awaited comments about the act of violence that marked the end of his career.
Zidane did not specify exactly what Italian defender Marco Materazzi said that enraged him, but that it was insulting to his sister and mother.
"I would rather have taken a punch in the jaw than have heard that," Zidane said, stressing that Materazzi's language was "very harsh."
Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack in extra-time. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground.
Zidane was sent off, reducing France to 10 men. Italy went on to win in a penalty shootout.
The France captain said he felt no regret for his act, "because that would mean [Materazzi] was right to say all that."
At nearly the same moment Zidane was appearing on French TV, excerpts from an interview that Materazzi gave to Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport were posted on the newspaper's Web site.
"I didn't say anything to him about racism, religion or politics," Materazzi told the Gazzetta. "I didn't talk about his mother either. I lost my mother when I was 15 and even now I still get emotional talking about her. Naturally, I didn't know his [mother] was in the hospital, I give her my best wishes."
"He's always been my hero, I admire him a lot."
For days, sports fans around the world have been riveted by the question: What could Materazzi have said to set Zidane off? Media from Brazil to Britain hired lip readers to try to figure it out, then came up with different answers.
Materazzi has acknowledged he insulted Zidane, without giving specifics.
Materazzi spoke to Zidane in Italian. Zidane, who played several years for Juventus in Turin, speaks Italian.
Despite the head butt, Zidane was awarded the Golden Ball award for best player at the World Cup -- though FIFA president Sepp Blatter has suggested Zidane could be stripped of the honor.
"The winner of the award is not decided by FIFA, but by an international commission of journalists," Blatter said in Italian newspaper La Repubblica. "That said, FIFA's executive committee has the right, and the duty, to intervene when faced with behavior contrary to the ethics of the sport."
In France, many have already pardoned Zidane, even without his explanation. A poll published Tuesday in Le Parisien newspaper showed that 61 percent of the 802 people questioned forgave Zidane.
2006-07-12 15:09:30
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answer #3
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answered by Ges 4
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He said that Materazzi insulted his mother and sister
2006-07-12 15:10:55
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answer #4
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answered by fireashes 4
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Here's a good link. http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=70625808&p=7x6z6x7z&n=70626100&x= He didn't tell what was said... The answer to that question is still has to come out.
2006-07-12 15:12:54
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answer #5
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answered by Leonor 5
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I've already done it about 1 hour ago.....Looked further down this page or on the next one.
2006-07-12 15:07:34
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answer #6
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answered by Joolz 2
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He said I'm a smelly frenchmen. From now on, call me butthead.
2006-07-12 15:08:04
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answer #7
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answered by schillinfl2 3
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I just posted a quick translation under "What would you have done?"...
2006-07-12 15:08:54
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answer #8
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answered by Anonymous
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oh, there's been an interview? i'm going on le monde and will be back.
2006-07-12 15:09:35
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answer #9
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answered by browneyedgirl 6
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he said, I hate materazzi
2006-07-12 15:14:39
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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