Zidane exits the stage with a walk of shame

Monday July 10, 2006
Richard Williams in Berlin, The Guardian

Zinédine Zidane began life as a street footballer in La Castellane, the tough suburb of Marseille in which he grew up. He ended it last night as a street fighter in one of Europe's most historic stadiums and in front of a worldwide audience of millions.

And so a towering football career ended in humiliation as Zidane disappeared down the tunnel for the last time, sent off in the second half of extra time in a World Cup final for blatantly shoving his head into the chest of Marco Materazzi, with whom he had just been having a bitter exchange of words.

Footballers generally operate a law of omerta on such matters, and Zidane is a reluctant talker at the best of times, so we may never be really sure what Materazzi did or said that provoked him into one of the acts of retaliatory violence that have studded his otherwise brilliant passage through the game. Whatever the cause, however, after 108 matches and 31 goals for France it was saddening to watch the great man leave the pitch, and football, in such an unsatisfactory manner.

The last of those goals had given the World Cup final exactly what neutrals were hoping for: the early lead for France that would make Italy come out and play. There was almost a 32nd, too, as the first half of extra time drew to a close and he fed Willy Sagnol out on the right before stealthily drifting through the Italian defence to meet the answering cross with a powerful header that called upon all of Gianluigi Buffon's virtuosity as the goalkeeper soared to touch it over the bar.

Had that attempt found its mark, and had France held on to the resulting lead, a very different coda would have been added to Zidane's career. He could have gone off into the sunset with every decoration his grateful country could bestow. As things stood, Italy were able to win the match on penalties but were then forced to endure the derision of France's supporters, who stayed behind for the presentation, one suspected, mainly in order to let Materazzi and his team mates know what they thought of them.

"Zizou dans la légende," a banner had stated confidently two hours earlier as the teams came out and the cameras lingered on the unmistakeable figure of the French captain. And when Florent Malouda went down under Materazzi's challenge in the seventh minute, there cannot have been a soul who watched Zidane place the ball on the spot and imagined that the outcome was in doubt. Zidane, however, was in the mood to tease his admirers. Facing Buffon, a goalkeeper until then unbeaten by any opposition player in this tournament, he decided to vary the penalty-kick technique that had given France their semi-final victory over Portugal.

There was the same two-step approach, but this time he delayed a fraction and, with the instep of his right boot, produced a gentle chip that looped on to the underside of the bar and came down a foot or so inside the goal line before spinning back out. In the last game of his career, Zidane had taken a terrific risk but, as a reward, seemed to have taken the first step to ensuring that his retirement would begin with the most appropriate of celebrations as France regained the title they had won in 1998 and so fecklessly tossed away four years later. "Zidane, Zidane, Zidane… France was in the grip of 'zizoumania'," Marcel Desailly wrote in his autobiography, reflecting on the triumph on home soil eight years ago, when giant images of the No 10 covered the sides of floodlit office blocks.

"I never imagined it could grow to such proportions. Sometimes I asked myself if one human being could withstand such passion. And did he, in any case, quite resist it? At the start of the tournament we found him a little febrile, more stretched, more demanding than usual, at least on the pitch. That febrility culminated in his expulsion against Saudi Arabia. And after a moment of depression, he reacted like a champion and started to prepare himself for the quarter-final."

Zidane had been sent off against Saudi Arabia for trampling on an opponent who, it has been claimed (without confirmation), had aimed racist insults at him. The team suffered in his absence, enhancing the widespread belief that they were unable to play without him, but he returned in time to score two of their goals in the final in Paris. Four years later an injury kept him out of the campaign in South Korea until it was beyond salvaging

This summer two yellow cards in the opening matches excluded him from France's third group match. This time his absence exerted an even more powerful effect, and not just on the man himself. He came back and performed against Spain and Brazil as if he were again in the prime of his career, showing us a game filled with light and grace. In the meantime, however, his colleagues had taken the opportunity to demonstrate that they were no longer a one-man team.

Together, it seemed, they would ensure that the great man had the chance to finish his career, as the French say, in beauty. No such poetic farewell was available last night. Zidane had played a full part in the match, directing the younger players around him with his customary guile as they began to reimpose themselves in the latter stages. But the final act of his career ensured that, after a generally enjoyable tournament, this World Cup final will be remembered with a wince. Outside Italy, of course.

36 Responses to “Zidane exits the stage with a walk of shame”

1. latifa Says:
   July 9th, 2006 at 8:35 pm

   no matter what happen hes still the CHAMPION !!

2. Afshin Says:
   July 9th, 2006 at 8:41 pm

   latifa, no one can take his achievements away from him. It is just sad that he had to end it this way.

3. Rabeah Says:
   July 9th, 2006 at 8:49 pm

   It is sad but I think some of the blame is Materazzi’s to take. He was holding onto Zidane and wouldn’t let go of his jersey as he kept rambling in his ear. That’s provocation. Zidane should have kept walking away but I’m sure Materazzi was exacting revenge on him for that penalty kick and he got what he wanted. All in all it is not a WC final I’ll remember fondly because I think France was the better team on the pitch and Italy’s win was really just France’s loss.

   Even my dog is depressed

4. Afshin Says:
   July 9th, 2006 at 8:53 pm

   Come on Robby jAn cheer up. It was a grand one month. We had a great time, didn’t we?

5. Rabeah Says:
   July 9th, 2006 at 8:54 pm

   Afshin-jan,

   In the wise words of Air Supply:

   “I’m all out of love”.

   

6. Rabeah Says:
   July 9th, 2006 at 8:55 pm

   No but really. It has been a grand month. I cannot imagine a better way to have spent the WC than with you guys.

   Back to business:

   What’s next on the football roster?

7. Afshin Says:
   July 9th, 2006 at 9:06 pm

   Well, we have Euro 2008 qualifiers starting soon, and then as you know there is the Asian Cup. But Iranian football is in such disarray that I recommend Euro 2008!

8. Rabeah Says:
   July 9th, 2006 at 9:33 pm

   From an article on FSC:

   “According to members of the French media, French players told them that Matterazi called Zidane a racial slur which prompted the headbutt.”

9. Sara Says:
   July 9th, 2006 at 9:39 pm

   Marco M. provoked Zidane! Too bad he had to leave on a bad note.

10. Afshin Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 9:42 pm

    Robby jAn, I am skeptical about that. I am sure we will hear more about this, but Matterazi is not a racist. His best friend in his club is Nigerian Obafemi Martins.

    “That response was typical. But amid the whirlpool of rumour and counter-rumour surrounding the incident there was no suggestion it was due to a racist comment. For all his tattoos and hardman image on the pitch, Materazzi is regarded as tolerant and easy-going off it. His best friend at Internazionale is the Nigeria international Obafemi Martins.”

    Read this

    http://football.guardian.co.uk/worldcup2006/story/0,,1816934,00.html

11. Rabeah Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 9:54 pm

    I don’t know Afshin. I find it very hard to believe that Zidane just head butted the guy for no good reason and I think Materazzi would have said anything to provoke Zidane regardless of what he may or may not believe off the pitch.

12. Rabeah Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 9:58 pm

    Did you read the article I sent you? I think it sheds a lot of light on Italy’s game.

13. Afshin Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 10:01 pm

    No, not yet. Give me a few minutes to read it.

14. Afshin Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 10:12 pm

    Interesting article. I posted it above. Thanks.

15. Rabeah Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 10:16 pm

    Thanks for posting it.

16. shahed Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 10:31 pm

    heres the deal,

    In his last ever match, the corrupt cheating italians offered zidane a large amount of money to get himself sent off.

    See this from his perspective, he makes a lot of cash, he gets revenge on the french for neglecting and abusing immigrants, not to mention for banning headscarves.
    Its a win win situation (except maybe for the french ).

17. Rabeah Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 10:42 pm

    LOL Shahed. Now that’s what I call a good solid conspiracy theory!

18. Navid Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 10:50 pm

    Robby Jan
    I don’t know if this helps.But i’ve seen so many times that some players that truely play with passion(and usually play exrtaordinary)often have a side effect which is edginess and have a hard time controlling it.Patrick vierra is even worse than that..and i’m sure Azzizi is the worst of all i’ve seen!(even thought plays extraordinary with passion)
    However in the case of Zidane,I think it was uncharachteristic of his age and experience,no matter WHAT actully provoked the act.
    I have a feeling it did’nt really help,but there was my thought anyway!

19. arvand Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 10:56 pm

    watch this ad u will see what really happend:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2slJ9CBnk0

20. Afshin Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 10:58 pm

    Guys, guys, guys! It is very simple. Materazzi pushed his buttons and Zidane blew a gasket! He is human after all

    Navid jAN, it is NOT uncharacteristic of Zidane to do this. As a matter of fact he has done this MANY times during his career, but this time around was on the biggest stage that football has to offer.

    I have enjoyed watching the man play for the last decade or so, and I think he is one of the all time greats. I am sad to see him end his career like this, but it is his own doing. Years from now, I will talk about him alongside many other greats, because he has been one.

21. Rabeah Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 11:14 pm

    Gentlemen. Gentlemen. Please. It’s alright. My dog and I have come off the window ledge. We are going to pick up the pieces of our shattered lives and move on.

22. Moe Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 11:14 pm

    Hi,

    I was wondering all afternoon and evening what would lead Zidane to loose his temper and risk the game. I could only imagine an insult of some sort. He was fouled really bad a number of times and retained his composure. What I read is that Materazzi used Racial slurs as Zidane was jogging away.

    No matter what, as the dust settles and the truth comes out, Zidane will be reinstated in peoples hearts and minds as I am not really sure if he lost any of his admirers and supporters inthe last few hours.
    I for one still consider him the best in the last 12 years and if he continues to play he’ll also show that he is the best.

    Again, hands down France was the premier team playing against a second class Italian team.

    They did to Italy what they had done to Spain, Brazil, and Portugal. Rather impressive list of victims.

    Frnace lost the game but Italy never won it.

23. Navid Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 11:30 pm

    Watching the 15 min. prior to the incident following the header that Zidane missed,you could see the frustration in his FURIOUS reaction.
    Italians know when to push the buttons better than anybody else!

24. Rabeah Says:
    July 9th, 2006 at 11:30 pm

    Right on Moe.

    Zidane hasn’t lost any fans. All of the French fans interviewed stood behind him and they raised a banner on the Champs-Elysees which reads: “Zidane we love you” so I don’t think he hurt his standing amongst his admirers. I have no idea what Materazzi said to him but no matter what, Zidane should have kept on walking. I think another person that needs to be held accountable is the referee. He made some questionable calls including the one that gave Zidane the PK, only to ignore a more blaringly deserving one later. He didn’t seem to have a handle on the game from what I could see and I think that can cause a lot of the breakdown amongst players.

25. Moe Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 12:20 am

    Rabeah,

    The initial penalty call was a good call. Materazzi’s tackle missed the ball and brought down Malouda. The other one was also a penalty call (Malouda megged Cannavaro and he tried a body check which Malouda deftly escaped, then Gatusso ran into him and brought him down) which the ref didn’t allow. Why? I have no idea.

    The ref missed several fouls committed by the outclassed Italians. The most outrageous one was when Cannavaro was all over Zidane’s shoulder and head which basically brougt him down and caused a shoulder injury.

    I think the French reacted quite well to the dirty tactics employed but as u know it only takes one mistake and unfortunately it had Zidane’s name on it today.

26. Alexander Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 1:20 am

    Italy simply DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A WORLD CUP CHAMP. WHIMPISHLY DEFENDING, GRASS ROLLING, AND ABUSING A GREAT PLAYER LIKE ZIDANE.

    To me, France were the winners.

27. Navid Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 1:26 am

    Why is there so much concern over Zidane?
    I feel even worse for the French team that played a great game and lost the championship the WORST painful way!…PK’s

28. Norc Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 1:35 am

    Zidane is a great player. After this incident, i actually respect him more for what he had done.To err is human. I dont blame him.

29. Nello Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 2:11 am

    Its true that Zidane gave us alot of great football displays around the years, but this does not mean that he could do whatever he wants on the pitch.

    He had done this many times and got un-noticed but this time, in the most important match of his career he got sent off, dampening the past with a shameful action.

    Probably he was provoked, but is that the reaction of such an expert? with all his experience he must have heard them all and I’m sure that Materazzi is no different than any other defender he played against.

    Could it be that Zidane was extra nervous since he couldn’t get in another goal and was seeing that the game was going to penalties (giving Italy an advantage over the french who had already lost Vieira and Henry)? All this added to the fact that he will not walk on the field again much have made Zidane act that way … SHAMEFUL !!!

30. chico75 Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 2:46 am

    shhhhh…boys…shhh…about italy..about materazzi..about this world cup..probably italy is not the most talented football team but where are Ronaldinho, Gerrard, Lampard, Raul, Fernando Torres, Tevez, Messi and the others?For one time only one time shout please…

31. nah Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 4:18 am

    Great header! Your fans love you, Zidane!
    Sometimes a man has to make his stand, and there was no shame in your last WC.

32. Zi Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 8:01 am

    Italy played a dirty game.Is it some coincidence that most of the players from the Italian team are from the Juventus team..everyone knows what they are capable of doing.

    The referee was not on the French side. I don’t understand much in football, but i understand enough to make me realise that the Italians fowled many times and poor ref didn’t see them.

    Also, Fifa should decide if ‘new technology’ and replaysare going to be used consistently throughout the match or not and not just when the French do something wrong. Unfortunately the WC has become yet another competition that has lost its credibility, where judges or rules are concerned.

33. Nima Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 10:23 am

    Zidane is the best no matter what. I love him and I belive he did the right thing standing up for himself.

34. Maria Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 11:04 am

    I disagree with most of the comments- At the end of it all, Italy finished on top thanks to a real team effort. Twenty-one of Lippi’s 23-man squad played and ten of them found the net at these finals. With a defence built around goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and captain Fabio Cannavaro, Italy defended as well as any side in FIFA World Cup history, conceding just two goals – one an own goal, the other a penalty.

    There much was else to admire, from the silk-and-steel midfield combination of Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso, to the swashbuckling raids of full-backs Gianluca Zambrotta and Fabio Grosso. It was the Grosso’s goal that swung a superb semi-final against Germany the Italians’ way and his penalty that sealed victory in the Final.

    Zizou is a great player up there with Pele, Maradona, Beckenbauer, pretty much a soccer God. However, yesterday he proved how human he really is. It is unfortunate that his illustrious career had to end on such a bad note. Yes Materazzi pushed his buttons, but Zizou had the OPTION of walking away, of being the better man, and he didnt.

    Just MHO.

35. kia Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 11:57 am

    Justly stated Maria! Thank you!

36. Afshin Says:
    July 10th, 2006 at 2:48 pm

    I agree with Maria, and add that in my opinion Fabio Cannavaro should have been awarded not only the man of the match award, but also the Golden Ball.

    Without his international partner Nesta who was out due to injury, he took on the role of becoming the anchor for the Italy’s amazing defensive line. He made very few mistakes, and showed his athletic prowess as well as mental toughness. To me Cannavaro was the best player of this World Cup.

    Regarding Zidane, I love the man and the footballer, but he lost his concentration and cool in the worst possible time; too bad for him and us (his fans).

    Time to move on. I am closing this post to comments.