What the…?

Why is everyone so ready to blame Matarazzi ???

Zidane was yapping away too. Just because Matarazzi did not ram Zidane into the ground does not mean Zidane did not say anything provocative.

Maybe Zidane could dish it out but not take it ?

To try to speculate just based on reactions is kinda pointless esp when we now nothing about their frame of minds…

Posted from  India

Zidane is disgrace to the Game-beautiful Game-,his nation,his team mates,his sons,his fans,all the children that are his fans. What a French shame. He cost the French to lose the Cup. That is why Pele was and is the greatest Rey-King and Perla Negra-Black Pearl to have played the beautiful game,amigos. If Zidane can redeem himself is not even in the card{cards}.

Posted from  Canada

Frantz… NO no no… I hear what you are saying but Its intolerable what he did. Talking trash is what they do all the time. Its part of the game. There is so much more at stake. It was selfsih what he did. The right thing and the only thing to do was to walk away and use it to inspire your play. I can’t beleive that anyone would justify his actions. its shocking. Its just not right and it gives our “joga bonito” a black eye.

The repercussions of his actions have not only cost France the game but it has stained the World Cup and futbol as well.

Very Disappointed,

Ecuador4Life

Posted from  United States

Zizu is as cool as cucumber in the field..we have seen him as inspirer, well then lets not talk about who’s fault was it…But how the italians played the game throughout…9 defenders 1 striker and a goalie. it was as if there was a dam. A very pathetic show of football.. Just clear the ball..Unless for the stop by buffon which clearly was not a great thing…but any standards.. france had the Chance..Past is Past..Lets put this behind us and hope that france kicks the butts of italians in Eurocup….

Posted from  India

Ecuador4life,

read me again. I said ZZ did wrong, and the red card was justified.

Now every hero has a dramatic side, and some short comings. (remember Achilles, the epitome of all heros?) That is what make them dear to our hearts, because we know, despite all their greatness and achievements, that they are not different from us in the end.Mortal, and fallible.

ZZ has always been known for his temper, which made him what he is today. He is also known as a gentleman (if you have taped them, go review ZZ’s attitude before and after each match on the second round, and how he was smiling and cool even if his carrer could end at any time, and how he took the time, on each instance, to salute and comfort his opponents at the end, before celebrating with his mates..) and not a violent man.
Although he has a history of red cards (14) in each insance, each and every one of them, it can be shown that he NEVER was the first offender. A famous incident involved ZZ and Desailly in the early 90s, when ZZ got a card for elbowing Dessailly in the face. Replays showed, however, that the original foul was initiated by Desailly a few minutes before with, guess it, an elbow in the face…

So there is no excuse for what ZZ did, but definitely there is an explanation

Updates: O Globo TV, using lips readers, is stating that Materrazzi insulted ZZ’s sister

First reports from the French team is that the insult used was “terrorist”, a below-the-belt allusion to ZZ’s family origins and religion (they originated from Algeria and are muslims)

In any case, ZZ has just said that he will explain in a few days what happened. So we will know…even if it makes no difference in the end..

Just caught some Italian media: as I predicted, seems that questions are starting to be raised about what Materrazzi really said. If I understand, it appears that Materrazzi is not especially popular among his fellow Italians, due to a long record of abuse on the pitch, both physically and verbally.

Here in France, the real sadness is for ZZ sad exit, rather than for the lost Cup…

So bravo to the Italian team (except you know who…) because, in the end, this is just a game, played for fun, not a war. And Italia did a good World Cup.

See you in September in Paris, then, for the Euro Qualifiers…

Have a good hollydays, y’all…

Posted from  France

To Zantheman:

Re Ronaldo, I believe it is the REPETITION of his disgraceful antics that boot him out of the short list.

I personally believe that C. Ronaldo could be the next best thing to happen to football, if he is able, one to clean up his act, two to work more as a team mate

ZZ did one, big, mistake, in the last 15 mns of the last game.

It also my belief that the World of Football just did not want ZZ’s career, and his display in this world cup, to end empty handed…

Posted from  France

Frantz,

I appreicate you giving some insite into his background. It helps to understnad a little better. However, I put zero blame on the italian player. Yes, ZERO blame. Who cares what he said, if this player is known for his antics then Zidane should know better. Be the better man, walk away. Its the biggest game in the biggest stage for petes sake!

I guess I am frustrated as several people who just read headlines or got a glimpse of what happened have personified this with how soccer is. Hooliganism on and off the pitch. I mean over a billion people saw this game and the only lasting memory will be of Zidanes antics. I love this game it makes my world go round to a certain degree. It saddens and at the same time repulses me to have to defend such a beautiful sport.

Then the irony of it all is to give Zidane to golden boot award. I think its a total travesty. Way to go FIFA. They should diversify and go into the circus business. Especially since they are all a bunch of clowns.

Frantz, once again I appreciate your viewpoint and I know you are a huge soccer fan and I hope you understand my point.

Kind regards,

E4L

Posted from  United States

Yeah Italy was a weak team they couldnt control france at all even with 10 people, Italians are fags any way,
That Italo homo needs to be headbutted any way, Zidane is still the best

..; I believe tha the FIFA establishment knew that what happened last night had somehow spoiled the event, and that they just could not let ZZ go out like this, after such a magnificent career, and all the magic he brought on the pitch during all those years

I personally think the award is justified, but you maybe can put that to my French bias…

The sad thang for me is that the fact that football is, supposedly, played with a ball using your feet, seems to be lost more an more, as we footabll fans tend to consider, more and more, that provocations such as insults, taunting and agressions are normal ingredients of the game.

It should not, and we should support any measures to make football once again a game that is fun to watch, and fun to play

Posted from  France

Frantz

You say Ronlado lost because of REPETITION of unsportsmanlike play.

Guess who leads the world cup for good - I mean Bad behaviour???

Yours truly, Mr. Fair play himself with :

3 yellow cards
1 red card

and that 1 red card will go down in history as one of the most brutal attacks ever!!

He shouldn’t have won the MVP, but the FAIR PLAY award . He deserved it.

To ZidaneFan

hope you enjoyed the video. if your lucky he may show you how much he loves you too. I would wear a chest protector though.

Posted from  Canada

ZantheMan,

Maybe they considered that faking, which is a form of cheating, is worse than some bad response to physical or verbal abuse…

As for the worse attack in history, in my book that goes to Schumacher agression of Batiston in 1982. Batiston was cut down while on his way to score. He left unconcious on the strecher, lost 4 teeth and had a crack in 2 vertebrae.

Posted from  France

I think the most truly vicious and criminal attack was not Zidane headbutting Materazzi (not right but in the context of the verbal aggression and as a former competitive athlete I understand where he came from). but De Rossi elbowing McBride in the US-Italy match. That’s one of the things that saddened me the most about the final. Seeing a true legend who made a weak team stronger than they ever thought possible losing his cool due to a racist remark and ending his swan song in a low note and also seeing De Rossi who drew blood from Brian in a cowardly attack score the penalty kick and end up with the world cup. It showed me that this life isn’t fair. At least he got the award as the best player… but then again I saw Valencia from Ecuador beat everyone in votes but be taken it from him by FIFA and given it to Podolski. It reminded me of Gore beating Bush in the votes and somehow winning the election. Oh well, there’s always a next time. Congrats Italy (sans Materazzi) and allez Zinadine! Tu eres un jugador que dejo una huella indeleble en el panorama futbolistico mundial.

Posted from  United States

1) Not only there was an obvious verbal provocation, and Mr. ZIDANE fell for it; but, right before it, Materrazzi kept pulling zizou & zizou’s shirt for 5 full seconds!

2) The best way to stop these scuffles that can turn ugly is to oust both parties, thus eliminating any motivation to provoque and creating a reason for self-discipline.

3) The way the game was going on, it is not the last ten minutes that France or Italy was going to have a chance at scoring a goal.

4) Even if Mr. ZIDANE had stayed for the penalty kicks, his presence could not have prevented the french player who shot badly to score that kick. The French would have lost anyways.

5) The MVP was given to Mr. ZIDANE for his overall playmanship throughout all the games, not just this last one.

6) Name one great national league player who never had a Red Card. The rest of the talks are all about the poor timing.

7) Quad Era Demonstrat: Except for some temporary personal shame, Mr. ZIDANE did not cost the world cup to his team nor his country. He just finished his own personal career with one last ugly fizzle over a beautifully long bang.

Posted from  United States

Before that ugly incident, half the stadium was chanting for France and the other half for Italy. After that ugly incident, upon sending Mr. ZIDANE out of the game, the whole stadium cheered for France everytime the French merely had the ball and, conversely, jeered and booed everytime the Italians had the ball, and that until the end of the second 15 minutes extension.

That only shows how many pro-Italian fans had converted…

Two of my Italian citizen clients told me verbatim: “You gonna see-a how the Italian team-a is-a gonna play-a whinny, commedia, and-a they are-a great at-a provoquing…

Posted from  United States

Wayne Rooney should be punished more than 2 Games.
He just smash Ricardo’s testicles.
I do not know what was worst!!
Headbutt or that smash.

British Press is doing a Disgusting campaign against Ronaldo.
We can see now what people from that Island realy are and what they can do!!

If the Portuguese Press would do the same regarding Rooney, maybe now That Island would declare War to us!!

Ronaldo is a boy, and Like Rooney should be protected and they have to learn a lot in football.

Both have committed stupid acts, but British press doesn’t want to teach!

British People - Do you remember Paul Gascoigne, Do you want Rooney to be another one?

Focus on Rooney Behavior!

Ronaldo just have done what hundreds of players worldwide do in aggression cases.

We Portuguese will never Forgot what British and French Press did.

Don’t let your hunger to be stronger than your Heart, this is only Football.

Ronaldo’s home in England was vandalize, and probably he can play no more in England.

About this game Portugal vs Netherlands, the referee should sent out the player who injured Ronaldo, then the game would be more clean, I never remember to see Netherlands to play with that NO Fair Play.
The smile of Van Basten, when Ronaldo had to leave the game tells everything, he forgot why he abandoned football.

About Zidane, no matter what Materrazzi told, Zizou should never do what he did!!

So, was done a brutal campaign against Portuguese Players about No fair play, and we finished the WC in that was. DEAR ME!!

MISERÁVEL

Posted from  Portugal

I’m with you “iloveronaldo”. I’m also portuguese, I live in Holland, I used to love the dutch team (never saw them acting ike this before and usually dutch people DO have fair-play). After THAT match, I only hear “portuguese won cos they are smart and/or cheaters” and in TV I listen to things like “in Portugal and Spain there’s not the honesty culture” and etc…

Saw the game against Germany on dutch TV and everything we did was wrong. Even the imaginary foul R Costa made and got a card for it.

And Carvalho was almost guilty for putting his balls under Rooney’s foot, to clearly send him off, according to the english who did everything to transform a nasty ball-stamping” by a childwhich but loyal to his team action by C Ronaldo.

So yeah, portuguese will never ever, forget english press and dutch behaviour in general. I won’t.

If I was CR, I’d simply leave ENG…

Zidane is a big boy. I am not a football player, I get sometimes discrimation here: not because of the match ;-), but because of being a portuguese in Holland - darker skin, other values, take shower and change clothes everyday ;-), and I must deal with it. I don’t start headbutting everybody…

Of course, I’m also not in the final of a WC, where like it or not, your ethinical group is part of the soup… It’s an “international competition”…. So, I’m not saying it’s right, I also find ridiculous blaming Materazzi for something he might have said. The only one, on the pitch, that must be respected when adressed to, is the ref. Materazzi could have even said Zidane’s mother was delicious and better than his sister. Zidane should have kept quiet, or hit him AFTER the match…

Anyway, to make a mistake is human and it’s the last match of a man who is a part of football and football history. I say let’s understand and forget it. That’s what FIFA made by giving him the award…

Posted from  Netherlands

Trent - great work with the blog throughout the tournament (… and even before).

Massimo, I love how you are still sour about 4 yrs ago as if the reffing of this tournament wasn’t the sweetest for Italy. Italy deserved to lose to the futbol powers USA (9 man no less) and Australia but for ref calls.

I think Zidane just wanted to see what would happen to an Italian player if they were actually touched… and time was running down in the game… it was an experiment and he proved that italians go down whether they are touched or not.

Posted from  Canada

Zidane has inspired me to work out my conflicts in a bit different way. I encourage others to follow suit.

E4L

Posted from  United States

Zidane has inspired me to work out my conflicts in a bit different way. I encourage others to follow suit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js0vOgjBfD8&feature=favorites&page=1&t=t&f=b

E4L

Posted from  United States

What is violence? Does violence just pertain to physical violence? Violence is meant to inflict pain. Words inflict pain all the time. Try calling a black passer-by a nigger. Try calling your German neighbor a nazzi. Try calling an Italian a cousin killer. At what point are words just trivial insults and cross over to mental infliction? That’s a hard call. I’m glad I’m not at the recieving end of Materazzi’s insults for over an hour. At least the NBA gives the ref the authority to throw a player out due to the player being overly abusive, else fights would ensue.

Posted from  United States

Pap,

This topic has obviously hit a nerve with me. Here is the definition of Violence:

Physical force exerted for the purpose of violating, damaging, or abusing: crimes of violence.

Now not to say that violence can not be done verbally but that is a stretch. We’ve had a bit of time to digest the situation and yes, the Italian is pretty stupid and used some choice words to get into Zidanes dome. However, Zidane’s physical actions are one of all time low’s. Part of the game is playing a mental game on your opponent. I think everyone realizes that. You need to be mentally tougher and not take that to heart. Zidane has tainted his legacy and brought “El Joga bonita” down with him.

Zidane created his legacy and now he deserves to sit in it.

E4L

Posted from  United States

let’s not all 4get that it was Trezeguet that missed the penalty and not so much Zidanes fault-although it was quite a contrast to Zidanes penalty which hit the bar but landed on the right side side, however Trzeguets hit the bar and landed on the wrong side of the line. Penalties are like the role of the dice, you just do not know where the ball will end up. Therefore the Italians did not win it due to talent.

Zidane is one of the world’s most FABOLOUS footballers, he’s like a wizard who creates *MAGIC* with his feet.

Zidane himself said:”He (Materazzi) pronounced very tough words about my mother and my sister. I tried not to listen to him but he kept repeating them,” Zidane told in a live interview on French television channel Canal Plus.
Everybody says that “sticks and stones may brake my bones but words will never hurt me” BUT words can prevoke all kinds of emotions.

Zinedine Zidane need not aplogize for any of his actions as many of us probably would av done the same thing. He has gained one of the GREATEST degrees of all which is experience and given us a memory of a GREAT man who is an inspiration to many aspiring football players. I wish you the best.

x.Au Revoir.xx

Posted from  United States

P.S (i’m frm England not America)
xxx

Posted from  United States

Ecuador4life, you’re right. Zidane lost his cool. Both zidane and materazzi were shameful opponents in the final. They both should apologize to kids world wide.
As far as the definition of violence goes, you are right in quoting the dictionary for the generally accepted description of violence. I hope that we eventually be clear on the nature of violence and hopefully update its definition in dictionaries so that you can update your quote. Sure, one can build mental toughness as one build physical toughness. Violence, still, is meant to inflict.

Posted from  United States

For me Zidane is still with the best as far as football is concerned. It is true that he should not have hit matterazzi BUT !!!!. Some commentators said that the only way for Zidane to make Mattarezzi shut up is to show him how to play foot ball. Yes he did that for a decade now. The same applies to the italian, he should stop Zidane using football not using insults. How ironic , people seem to accept that cheating or provoking or humiliating people is part of the game. No it is not and neither is head butting.So STOP looking at Zidane and stare at the bigger picture. We always say to our children as teachers and adults that we are against bullying but when it comes from Mattarrezzi towards Zidane it is OK.???????Matterrezzi’s history is not also a role model, check his aggression in the football field.DID ZIDANE WALK AWAY FROM TROUBLE AS THE VIDEO SHOWS???????
In England they said that it does not happen here, let be remind them that it has been going on for a while. Remember duncan Ferguson, remember Lee and Hunter!!!!!!

Posted from  United Kingdom