Why did Zinedine Zidane do it?"

It would seem that Materazzi called Zinedine Zidanes' sister a
prostitute.  Although this has yet to be confirmed/denied.

"LONDON : Zinedine Zidane's World Cup final assault on Marco Materazzi
was provoked by a "very serious" comment made by the Italian defender,
according to the French playmaker's agent.

Zidane, 34, floored Materazzi with a butt to the chest in the second
half of extra-time in Sunday's final and was sent off, missing a
penalty shoot-out in which he would have been expected to take one of
France's spot-kicks.

The former Real Madrid star's moment of madness in his last match
before retiring may have been provoked by Materazzi calling his sister
a prostitute, according to a report on Brazilian television channel
Globo."

Although neither player has yet revealed the nature of their
disagreement, Fantastico, a programme on Globo, employed lip-reading
experts who said footage of the incident showed the Italian twice
insulted Zidane's sister.

The programme claimed Materazzi made the same comment twice before
then using a "coarse word" at the French player.

Italy went on to win the match on penalties and Zidane's agent Alain
Migliaccio confirmed to the BBC on Monday that it had been verbal
rather than physical abuse from the Italian defender which had
triggered his violent reaction.

"He told me Materazzi said something very serious to him but he
wouldn't tell me what," Migliaccio said.

"Zinedine didn't want to talk about it but he will talk about it in
the next couple of days.

"He is a man who normally lets things wash over him but on Sunday
night something exploded inside him.

"He was very disappointed and sad. He didn't want it to end this way." 

Zidane has not given his account of the incident but there have also
been reports Materazzi had called him a "terrorist" or suggested he
did not have the right to play for France - both insults based on
French-born Zidane's Algerian heritage.

Football's world governing body FIFA meanwhile has denied video
evidence played any role in Zidane's dismissal.

Referee Horacio Elizondo missed the clash with Materazzi and only
issued a red card after being contacted by the fourth official at the
match.

There had been speculation, from France coach Raymond Domenech among
others, that the official had intervened after seeing the incident
replayed on the numerous television screens close to the side of the
pitch.

But FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren denied there had been a de facto use
of video evidence in this case.

"The fourth official saw it as it happened on the pitch and directly
advised the referee and the referee took action. Full stop," he said.

"It appears the referee was waiting for the situation to clear up a
little bit before taking action." - AFP/de"

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_sports/view/218322/1/.html

Wow ... Well done thx1138-ga ... Fascinating stuff!

This outdoes the Rooney Stamp.

It shows that A LOT of gamesmanship goes on.

Bryan

I have heard that Materazzi called Zidane a "terrorist". This was on
Canadian Sports Radio and by no means can be taken as truth.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=373809&cc=5901


straigt from Zidane himself


Radke

Here in Germany, Materazzi is reported to have said that he didn't use
any words one couldn't hear in another match.

That would be an interesting question:  with what innocuous words
could one be rather specific about questioning the morality or
"profession" of someone's mother or sister?

I am on Zidane's side.

Why did Zinedine Zidane do it?

Strikers in soccer are prima donna's much like wide receivers in
American football. They can change the game with one move. The better
the striker the more narcissistic they are. Zidane wasn't told
anything he hasn't heard a thousand times in his career. Trash talk is
standard. The noise level on the field can also make remarks hard to
hear. Defenders are more like thugs trying to intimidate by what ever
means. The World Cup Final may be a strange place to pull what Zidane
did, but Marco Materazzi probably injured Zidane's shoulder in a hard
take down earlier. Once France's other striker Henry left the game,
the potential for Zidane to go it alone was much less in his last ever
game. Frustration and fatigue in the biggest game were probably main
culprits. Also, Zidane checked the location of the referee. FIFA rules
say that electronic replay is not allowed. He may have thought the ref
would not see the foul and that FIFA would not intervene.

There we have it....

Materazzi reveals insult to Zidane

POSTED: 1748 GMT (0148 HKT), September 5, 2006 

ROME, Italy -- Italy defender Marco Materazzi has broken his silence
over the verbal exchange that led to his violent World Cup final clash
with French star Zinedine Zidane.

Materazzi was sent crashing to the turf by a Zidane head-butt near the
end of extra time of the July 9 final in Berlin following a verbal
altercation.

Materazzi told Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday that it was a remark he
made about Zidane's sister that provoked the French captain's moment
of madness.

Zidane was sent off and Italy went on to beat France in a penalty
shootout to lift the trophy.

Inter Milan center-half Materazzi was given a two-match ban by world
governing body FIFA.

Materazzi said that when Zidane offered to give him his France jersey
after the final whistle, in response persistent shirt-tugging by the
Italian, he had replied: "I would prefer your sister."

Materazzi insisted however that he should not blamed for sparking the
incident. "I did not cause it," he told Gazzetta. "I answered verbally
with a provocation to defend myself.

"Yes, I was tugging his shirt, but when he said to me scornfully 'If
you want my shirt so much I'll give it to you afterwards' is that not
a provocation? I answered that I'd prefer his sister, it's true.

"It's not a particularly nice thing to say, I recognize that. But
loads of players say worse things ... I didn't even know he had a
sister before all this happened," added Materazzi, who is suspended
for Italy's Euro 2008 qualifying rematch with France in Paris on
Wednesday.

Zidane was given a three-match ban for his part in the spat, but as he
had retired from football he was made to do three days of community
service instead.

Materazzi criticized FIFA for what he felt was favoritism shown
towards the Frenchman.

Head-butted
"I only know that I was the one head-butted and I got a two-match
ban," said the Inter Milan defender.

"I would have done three months or even three years of community
service to be on the pitch at Saint Denis on Wednesday, but I
definitely count less than Zidane."

The Italy defender said that while he had told FIFA he was willing to
make a gesture of reconciliation with Zidane, he was not going to
apologize.

"He has not apologized to me and I certainly don't have to apologize to him.

"If anything, I owe apologies to his sister, although I swear, before
all this mess I didn't even know Zidane had a sister," he said.

Materazzi said that he thought the two could put the incident behind them.

"If peace can be made after terrible wars can Zidane and I not make
peace? A peace between men, without much publicity, certainly yes.

"The door of my house will always be open to him and if he wants,
Zidane knows how to find out my address," said Materazzi.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SPORT/football/09/05/italy.materazzi/index.html