After France’s 5-3 loss to Italy on penalties in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Zinedine Zidane announced his retirement from professional football.
After headbutting fellow goal scorer and Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the 110th minute, Zidane, who had given France the lead in the seventh minute, was dismissed.
The Real Madrid star refused to change his mind about retiring as he had originally announced as he watched helplessly as France lost on penalties.
Speaking on the incident in 2010, the former Real Madrid head coach said he would rather die than apologise to Materazzi, as reported by Independent.
Materazzi opens up on Zidane incident
The former Inter Milan defender has opened up on what transpired between the two before he received that vicious headbutt from Zidane. “Trash talking, my trash talking was nothing.
He offered me his jersey, and I said no, I prefer his sister,” he said on IFTV Podcast, bursting into a bit laugh afterwards.
Rumours in the football world had earlier claimed Materazzi, who stayed on after the assault and scored in the shootout, insulted Zidane’s mother.
Materazzi swore at Mourinho
The defender played under Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan and revealed he had a special relationship with the Special One and was said to see him go.
As revealed by Football Italia, he swore at Mourinho when the Portuguese left for Real Madrid, claiming he was angry he left him with Rafa Benitez.
“Mourinho was special. He knew the names of all our children and our wives. Nobody else had ever done that for me. For me it was not a big surprise, but for my wife, when he met her and said “hello Daniela”, ” he said.
Zidane picks Ronaldo over Messi
It was reported that Zidane chose Ronaldo over Messi while weighing in on the GOAT debate. The France legend who managed Ronaldo at Real Madrid branded the Portuguese as phenomenal and better than himself and Messi.
Zidane won the 1998 World Cup. Messi matched the achievement by winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but Cristiano is yet to lay his hands on it.