Zidane's Press Conference Regarding the Headbutt

[ekee]

Zidane makes apology for headbutt

Zinedine Zidane has apologised for the headbutt on Italy's Marco Materazzi which earned him a red card in Sunday's World Cup final penalty shoot-out loss.

The France legend did not reveal what Materazzi said, but claimed it was "very personal" and concerned his mother and his sister.

"I want to ask for forgiveness from all the children who watched," Zidane said.

Materazzi responded to the French TV interview with a statement again denying insulting Zidane's mother.

Italian defender Materazzi, who scored the equaliser on Sunday, said: "I didn't mention anything about religion, politics or racism.

"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."

Zidane was sent off for headbutting Materazzi in the chest in the second period of extra-time in the final in Berlin.

He appeared on French TV station Canal Plus to explain his actions.

Zidane refused to say sorry to Materazzi and said he did not regret what he did after being provoked by the insults.

He said: "There was no excuse for it. I want to be open and honest about it."

But Zidane, who was playing in his final game before quitting football, added: "You hear those things once and you try to walk away.

"That's what I wanted to do because I am retiring. You hear it a second time and then a third time.


"They were very hard words and he repeated them several times. Sometimes words are harder than gestures. It all happened very quickly and the words hurt me deep down."

"This was not something to do. I want to make it clear because it was watched by two billion people and by millions of kids.

"I want to apologise to them but I can't regret what I did because it would mean that he (Materazzi) was right to say what he said."

Since the incident, rumours have run rife about what Materazzi said to provoke such a reaction from the Frenchman.

There were claims the Italian had called Zidane a "terrorist", but in Tuesday's edition of the Italian newspaper La Gazetta dello Sport, Materazzi said: "It was the kind of insult you will hear dozens of times and just slips out of the ground.

"I didn't call Zidane a terrorist and certainly didn't mention his mother.

"I did not bring up Zidane's mother; for me a mother is sacred."

Zidane, who was born and grew up in Marseille, is the son of Algerian immigrants and has suffered taunts about his heritage throughout his football career.

The two players initially clashed in the Italian penalty area before words were exchanged.

Materazzi said: "I held his shirt, for only a few seconds.

"He turned towards me and scoffed at me, looking at me with super arrogance, up and down.

"He said 'if you really want my shirt, you can have it later.' It's true, I shot back with an insult."

Fifa is to investigate Zidane's sending-off while Fifa president Sepp Blatter has hinted the France star could be stripped of his World Cup best player award.

SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...06/5169342.stm

[Icepik]

Oh, for shits sake, just TELL us what was said. What's with the secrecy??

[ekee]

Maybe one day he will reveal it in his autobiography. You know it is coming.

[DirtyPool]

I'd still like to know how anyone in the civilized world "does not know what an islamic terrorist is" as Materazzi claims.

[Lobelia]

You know, almost all the best insults directed toward males actually just insult the man's mother. Such as

bastard
son of a bitch
motherfucker

I don't know what language these two were speaking, but maybe it was something like that.

Maybe he said something like "yeah, i kept your sister's shirt last night, too, you (whatever).

[PurpleHaze]

oh he knows! he's just playing the little naive boy

[moomies]

I don't know why but it's just funnier when you say it Lobes.

Maybe he said something like "yeah, i kept your sister's shirt last night, too, you (whatever).

[DirtyPool]

If someone headbutted ME, they'd come back with a bloody stump- no head- just a stump. This guy is going to get off scott free and will rake in $$$ doing interviews about it. I feel he should be given community service time and a large fine.

http://www.zappa.cc/zidane/ left click the mouse when it starts

[ekee]

^

thanks for the link. too funny.

[KD]

They all talk shit, though. No matter what the Italian said, there was no excuse for that. Like he hasn't heard it before?? Or do they not talk shit in football/soccer? Perhaps just the WAGs do.

[yanna]

I'd just like to know in what language Materazzi said it. I'm guessing Italian and Zidane knew enough to understand it since he has played in Italy.

I don't think the "headbutt" was that horrible. He hit Materazzi on the chest that can't have hurt that much. I just think it was stupid to react that way to whatever Materazzi said. Maybe it was the combined stress from the game and leaving and his mother being sick. Still, incredibly stupid thing to do but I don't love him any less for it.

And hands off Zidane's award!@!!! Bastards!

[buttmunch]

Give me a fucking break. This is a grown man. He can't take some shit talking on the field? Instead of brushing it off and walking away, he fucking HEADBUTTS the other guy to the ground? Sorry, he should be banned for life, the French team penalized and no way should he get to keep the award. football has been trying to iradicate the violence for so long and then this fucking moron pulls this shit. Fuck him. Now I know why we were calling him Göbbels all through the tourny.

[twitchy]

Originally Posted by yanna

I don't think the "headbutt" was that horrible. He hit Materazzi on the chest that can't have hurt that much.

It seemed to knock the wind out of him but it could have been fatal. A blow to the chest over the heart can cause the heart to 'misfire' and stop. It's like causing a short circuit. Whether or not a blow there kills depends on it hitting in the split second in the heart rhythm when it is vulnerable. You don't even need to hit that hard.

[moomies]

I would think that he hit him pretty hard. Aren't soccer players trained in using their head to hit the ball?

It just reminds me of shaolin munks doing a kung fu move like that and I agree with Twitchy, it could be fatal.