And thus ended the World Cup...

[misscam]

FOR SHAME ZIDANE

WTF was that? You purposely headbutted that guy in the stomach. I gather you might've been provoked by something he said, but that doesn't make the action any less inexcusable. Sad, sad end to a fantastic career. I only cheered France for you, you know.

And as a result, I kinda ended up cheering Italy. Sorta. I didn't mind their win at least. I know, I know. But they've played better than I expected and so... Well done, Italy. I congratulate you. And coming from me, that's quite something.

Nice haircut too.

World Cup summary my style to follow tomorrow, but for now, I am going to bed and shaking my head over Zidane.

Why, dude, why?

Comments

[vaskalcorp.livejournal.com]

He could at least have gone for an uppercut!

[norwegianne.livejournal.com]

I suspect that the thing I'll remember from this world cup, Swiss footballer droolworthiness aside, is this head-butt that definitely did not make any sense at all.

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

I know. I want to know what the Italian said to him, though, but even so it was inexcusable. My little 'Woot! Go Zidane' flag wilted, it did. :( I can only think it must have been something utterly outrageous for him to snap like that and in his last match, and as captain, and at the World Cup Final. Or at least it better have been (if you see what I mean).

Personally, I'm booing Italy's win just cos I wanted France to win, Zidane going bonkers or no, but meh.

[furius.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a headbutt to the chest.

I was still cheering for France though, they worked so hard on the offence.

[briasoleil.livejournal.com]

I am so heartbroken and disappointed. If I hadn't been watching and somebody told me that Zidane headbutted someone deliberately and with malicious intent, I would have looked at them as if they completely mad. But it happened. Unquestionably inexcusable. But also so not like him.

*sobs*

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

But also so not like him.
Which is why I want to know what the other player said. Not because that gives Zidane the right, but it must have been pretty bad for him to explode like that.

[briasoleil.livejournal.com]

It's been said, whether or not it is true, I can't say, that the Italian player made a racist slur against Zidane. Which is, if it's true, horrible form and, in my opinion, deserves its own kind of penalty. Obviously, Zidane was in the wrong and was rightfully red carded.

Nonetheless, it's something that all Maghrebins live with every single day in France, I know how they feel after years and years of living with it. Zidane, who is a world class player and a generally decent guy, shouldn't have to be treated to that on the field. Not in international play like this. But I'm not sure if Zidane will actually talk about it. And so, we may never know.

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

If that's what happened, I have a lot more sympathy for him. :(

[briasoleil.livejournal.com]

Indeed.

[loquacis.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

I have to say that was the first thing myself and my husband immediately thought of - that it was some racial slur. I think, frankly, it could only be something like that to make Zidane completely lose his head like that.

And, yeah, North Africans get a rough deal in France as it is. And I think Zidane himself - being captain for France - has gone some way to help build some bridges in that respect, though there's a long way to go. It's bad enough when fans chant racist abuse - and FIFA comes down hard on teams whose supporters do that - without players doing it as well.

It would not surprise me if Zidane doesn't mention it. I think it will come down to whether anyone else on the pitch heard what was said or not.

[briasoleil.livejournal.com]

That was my immediate thought, as well. Which is unfortunate, because at this level of play, there is no room for racism.

I know all too well what it's like to not be white and French in France. I lived in France, as a student, and met my ex, who is Moroccan, there. There is definitely different ways of treating Arab and African immigrants and I was witness to many things I never believed I would ever see. It's appalling, shocking and, more importantly for the victim, utterly demoralising.

I know that there was an article, prior to the World Cup, about racism in football. I've already decried the lack of diversity on most European teams.

I wouldn't be surprised either if Zidane says nothing. First, I imagine, because of his utter shame over what he did. And also, because he's not the kind of guy to tattle.

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

There is definitely different ways of treating Arab and African immigrants and I was witness to many things I never believed I would ever see. It's appalling, shocking and, more importantly for the victim, utterly demoralising.
I can well believe it. I know many North Africans, several of them 'Beurs' (French-born Algerians), so know from first-hand accounts what kind of things they are subject to in France.

That said, however, on this morning's news they are showing a replay of the incident in the 'shirt-pulling' moment (by Materazzi on Zidane) they are pointing out what looks like a nipple tweak which kind of... well, I dunno - is that sort of thing common on the football field? *lol* Just strikes me as deeply weird, but anyway. Zidane still walked away from it, so there was still something said that made him see red, but that tweak may have been a contributing factor. I agree with your assessment on why Zidane may never say anything, though, so it's possible we may never know.

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

It's just incomprehensible to me...I mean, I can't imagine what the pressure's like, but in one split second he not only disgraced himself but very possibly cost France the championship...(he would've made that penalty kick, I'm sure)...

Speechless.

[millikov.livejournal.com]

I think it's a bit harsh to say he cost them the cup. Regardless of whether or not Zizou was sent off, Trezeguet would still have been a delegated penalty-taker.

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

Oh, that was pure speculation on my part. We'll never know what would have happened--but I wouldn't underestimate the effect something like that has on team morale as well.

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what hubby and I said afterwards: Trezeguet would have still taken a penalty even if Zidane had not been sent off.

[kerowyn47.livejournal.com]

But Zizou's penalty killed France's momentum. I don't think that we'll ever know what the Italian guy said, because he wouldn't admit it and Zidane wouldn't say, but it must have been something fairly horrific. I was saying to my roommate that it was so sudden. Zidane was walking away, and then he just snapped and attacked him. I wonder if that shoulder injury he took earlier contributed?

[vaskalcorp.livejournal.com]

Once again, the nipple cripple changes the course of international Football.

[mittendorfer.livejournal.com]

I'm obviously happy - and with our terrible record on penalties too I was dreading it - but I still can't believe the Zidane incident. A moment of red mist madness.

[dune-drd.livejournal.com]

I wonder what insult sent Zidane over the edge, it looked horrible, altough I still don't get which referee saw it in the end.

I'm a bit calmer now than during the last weeks. I could even watch the Italians without many hard feelings left. Good to see we can still party :)

HUh, World Cup's over. WHAT WILL I WATCH ON TV NOW?!?!

[millikov.livejournal.com]

I wonder what insult sent Zidane over the edge

This is just guesswork, but I think it was probably something racist. Zidane is an Arab, and apparently especially sensitive about racist remarks.

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

apparently especially sensitive about racist remarks.
I think it's fair to say most French North Africans are, to be honest.

[millikov.livejournal.com]

Ah. My knowledge of French culture is limited to the food and the language.

Whispers over at BBC now, though, allege that Materazzi insulted Zidane's mother.

Regardless of what was said, Zidane is a brilliant, mature footballer and a great captain (and wonderfully w00bie, in my fangirly opinion anyway). It is such a shame, a real shame, that his career ended the way it did.

[boz4pm.livejournal.com]

That whisper was nearly right, apparently. BBC News digs out an Italian lip reader

[belegcuthalion.livejournal.com]

You know, a big radio station asked people this afternoon who should be World Champion, and 80 % said they were cheering for France because of Zidane. We had no chance to watch TV until around 22.00 p.m., and one of the very first things we saw was that terrible Zidane-action. My hubby stared at me and said: "He didn't do that, did he?"

You are right. Such a shame.

[despertarse.livejournal.com]

What's really sad is that some French supporters think Italy shouldn't get the Cup for 'provoking Zidane'. [insert eyeroll] Watching the replay of the pre-headbutt, it looked like Zidane probably talked back. Maybe he just happened to be the one to lose his temper first (and I always thought the Italians were the more hot-tempered ones).

I was very sad the French captain let whatever said get to him.
I am also very sad with how some bitter French fans will defend their team loss and Zidane's redcard by blaming the one Italian who provoked Zidane. Instead of "We still played a good game and gave the Italians a scare.", there's "THE ITALIANS ARE EVIL DIVING BAD MOUTHING SNEAKY CHEATS! WE WERE ROBBED!" Now that's what you call sore losers.

Aww, the Italians afterwards...I smile for Italia!

[mittendorfer.livejournal.com]

I thought Cannavaro would never get to lift the cup with the amount of playing around that was going on :o)

[briasoleil.livejournal.com]

I won't say that the Italians were cheats or that the French were robbed. I will, however, say that if it is true that the Italian player made some kind of horrible racist remark to Zidane, then he should be shamed as well. Zidane deserved his red card, but it's comprehensible to me that he would lose it so entirely. Unless someone made a remark as to his ethnicity. International players should be better than that. You're playing against any number of nationalities and ethnicities. And it's despicable that any player would use racism to disarm and disgrace a fellow player.

[mittendorfer.livejournal.com]

If Materazzi did what he is being accused of here he quite rightly should be ashamed of himself and deserve public denouncement. His fellow players and Italians, including myself, would be ashamed of him too.

[despertarse.livejournal.com]

Though I can't vouch that the Italian did say that, it is rightly disgusting if he said such a remark. Why can't they all just be friends? Whether Zidane headbutted him or not, it wouldn't have made Materazzi a better person, but perhaps Zidane's retirement game would have had a better light. I liked Zidane and it made ms sad to see him walk off the field with such bitter dejection. With his experience and the not-so-niceness that comes with the World Cup, I just wished he hadn't done it so that people would remember him for his great playing more instead of the headbutt.

[denorios.livejournal.com]

I KNOW! The only reason I was supporting France was because Zindane was returing and he's such a great player I wanted him to go out on a high. And then that headbutt - sheer madness!

[windbound.livejournal.com]

Well, he is only human after all. Materazzi must have been talking to him dirty during the whole game, he is known for this type of behavior and afterall Zidane is not the hotblooded type. But he was stupid enough to fall in the trap and the red card was right, it's such a bad way to end such a brilliant carrier...:(
Despite that the France's penalty was fake(yet the referee ignored another one that actually was), the French team played better than the Italians overall, especially in the second half. But Italians were lucky this time so, yey for them!

[avari-elf.livejournal.com]

I'm amused by how people are so "extremely shocked" about what Zidane did. He's not a saint, for Pete's sake. He has a hell of a temper, and iirc through his career he was given 19 red cards - which is a A LOT. It seems the Italian called him a terrorist. If it's true, it'll confirm my low opinion of the actual Italian team (fakers and corrupted players who'll hopefully land in jail).

A small side-note, because I think I saw someone write it, but Zidane is not an Arab, he's a Berber.

[mademoisellenon.livejournal.com]

God, I hope that all comes to pass.

He didn't call him a terrorist. Read my comment.

Though truth be told, there are going to be so many "versions" of what Materazzi said that...

[mademoisellenon.livejournal.com]

Zidane's mother is dying from cancer. Matarazzi was "decent" enough to wish Zidane and his family painful deaths, etc. etc. Lovely guy, that little Italian, isn't he?

Zidane acted...well, that was just a NO! But to be frank, if someone had insulted my mother like that, I would scratch their eyes out. Actually, wait, I did do that once. Maybe not to the point of the person being hospitalized but it was certainly in a public enough place and that person insulted my mother. So I can understand completely, entirely and totally why Zidane acted the way he did.