Zidane sending off...

[joema]

Bit harsh. moment of madness, but he was a big part in getting france to the final. I think the Frenh people won't be too hard on him

Moment of madness? - you cant use that as an excuse - this is the World Cup Final - the biggest stage of all, he is supposed to be a hero and a legend of the game aswell as a person to look up to. Just look at the amount of young people in France who wear his name on the back of their shirts and just think of the supporter who payed 500euro to see the match - he is a total disgrace and imo has completley tarnished his career. Imo it doesnt matter what the Italian said what he did can't be excused

[Closed Account 2]

I really did not think he was that type of player, very surprised to say the least.It would be interesting to find out how many times he has being sent off in his career.Its a sad end to one of the best players i have seen for the last 15 years or so.

I remember he was sent off v Saudi Arabia in WC98, and also for Juve in the Champions League v Hamburg SV, can't remember any other times.

It was a silly thing to do, you do wonder what on earth can Matarazzi have said to him to provoke such a reaction. It didnt look a particularly bad-blooded game before that.

Still I guess the 4 game ban Fifa will give him is a bit of a joke now.

[joema]

Complete overreaction. Yes, it was uttelry stupid, but the game was going to penalties from about the hour mark, so it certainly didn't cost them the game. I can't see him being villified in France for "the rest of his life" either.

I Disagree Stu - I think he did cost them the match - when he went the players lost their inspirational figure and their leader, they were already out on their feet and now had to battle on with 10 men - Imo France had them on the ropes to a degree - all they needed was one moment of creativity from their most gifted player to finish off the Italians.

Tell me how do you know it was going to penos? - there was always a decent chance it would end in pens but it was not certain - also it was bad enough for the French that they were missing Henry for the shootout but now they also were without Zidane who surely would have been odds on to score.

[pineapple stu]

Tell me how do you know it was going to penos?

It was just that kind of match. Tedious and without inspration. Zidane was sent off...what - ten minutes from the end? At that stage, both sides had shown that they weren't capable of winning it in normal time. Presumably Zidane would have taken a kick and scored, but he wouldn't have booted the miss out of the first five (ignoring any chaos theory ramifications obivously)

[joema]

It was just that kind of match. Tedious and without inspration. Zidane was sent off...what - ten minutes from the end? At that stage, both sides had shown that they weren't capable of winning it in normal time. Presumably Zidane would have taken a kick and scored, but he wouldn't have booted the miss out of the first five (ignoring any chaos theory ramifications obivously)

"Just that kind of match" - what kind of a statement is that? Stu, there is no way of being sure that game was going to pens.
As for saying I am over reacting just look at my other post - look how many people Zidane let down - no excuse

[pineapple stu]

"Just that kind of match" - what kind of a statement is that? Stu, there is no way of being sure that game was going to pens.

Ah now. There clearly was absolutely no inspiration at all in that match, let alone in the last ten minutes. Who was going to win it? It was clearly headed for penalties. It's quite a logical - and common - statement. Zidane had done nothing all game bar score the penalty and have a header well saved - he wasn't going to turn it around in the last ten minutes.

[lopez]

I remember he was sent off ...also for Juve in the Champions League v Hamburg SV, can't remember any other times.

He also got sent off earlier in the same group that year (2000) against Deportivo. Interesting to find out the catalyst here. Maybe Materazzi mentioned something about his mother?

[gustavo]

Of course there was the theory that I saw on another forum

" Zidane probably hates Matarazzi like everyone else, hes won leagues, european cups, the european championships and the world cup, he probably just thought "f**k it, ive won this before and theres just one thing i have to do now before i retire" Then Butts him

a few gifs of it too

http://imagesocket.com/images/zidane29b.gif
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9435/zidane27xu.gif

[Sheridan]

For me this will overshadow everything good that Zidane ever did on a football pitch.

In fairness, that comment is hyperbolical b0llocks. Or have you forgotten that he missed half the 1998 World Cup for stamping needleesly on a prostrate Saudi?

Even running on vapours he was the best attacking player on the field until his ejection.

[joema]

Ah now. There clearly was absolutely no inspiration at all in that match, let alone in the last ten minutes. Who was going to win it? It was clearly headed for penalties. It's quite a logical - and common - statement. Zidane had done nothing all game bar score the penalty and have a header well saved - he wasn't going to turn it around in the last ten minutes.

Thats not how football works - just because someone has been quiet all game does not mean they are not able to produce a match winning piece of skill - just look at Ronaldo - does nothing all game then all of a sudden scores a goal. Same goes for Zidane - he was quiet but he is always a constant threat. Also many games look to have nil all written all over them but then someone special i.e a player like Zidane produces a match winner

Also you say there was "no inspiration" - that is true but it only takes a second for a moment of inspiration to occur - even if he only missed ten minutes or so he still could have produced something special in that period

[DmanDmythDledge]

In fairness, that comment is hyperbolical b0llocks. Or have you forgotten that he missed half the 1998 World Cup for stamping needleesly on a prostrate Saudi?

Even running on vapours he was the best attacking player on the field until his ejection.

I think that people will remember this more seeing that it was his last game and the media had hyped-up that he would bow out in glory, being France's catalyst for success. Scoring two in the final made up for the sending-off in 98.

[joema]

In fairness, that comment is hyperbolical b0llocks. Or have you forgotten that he missed half the 1998 World Cup for stamping needleesly on a prostrate Saudi?

Even running on vapours he was the best attacking player on the field until his ejection.

Superhoops said "for me this will overshadow..." i.e when he thinks of Zidane he will remember this incident above all else - how can you call that "hyperbolical b0llocks" ?

[pineapple stu]

Thats not how football works - just because someone has been quiet all game does not mean they are not able to produce a match winning piece of skill - just look at Ronaldo - does nothing all game then all of a sudden scores a goal. Same goes for Zidane - he was quiet but he is always a constant threat. Also many games look to have nil all written all over them but then someone special i.e a player like Zidane produces a match winner

Also you say there was "no inspiration" - that is true but it only takes a second for a moment of inspiration to occur - even if he only missed ten minutes or so he still could have produced something special in that period

You get a feel for games. There was no way that there was anything giong to happen in that one. Of course it might have happened, but let's be honest - the chances of nothing happening, the game going to penalties and ending with the same result far outweighed the chances of Zidane popping up and doing something, which he had steadfastedly refused to do for the previous 110 minutes. He certainly didn't cost his team the World Cup. There's absolutely no evidence that he would have won the game in the last ten minutes on his own, so to say he cost his team the title is a bit over the top. Which was my point.

[RonnieB]

Yup. He will be remembered as a great player for them. Apart from one moment of madness. It was a head to the chest truely horrifying I hope I will sleep tonight.

[joema]

You get a feel for games. There was no way that there was anything giong to happen in that one. Of course it might have happened, but let's be honest - the chances of nothing happening, the game going to penalties and ending with the same result far outweighed the chances of Zidane popping up and doing something, which he had steadfastedly refused to do for the previous 110 minutes. He certainly didn't cost his team the World Cup. There's absolutely no evidence that he would have won the game in the last ten minutes on his own, so to say he cost his team the title is a bit over the top. Which was my point.

Sorry but that statement (in bold) is a load of bull imo, simple as that - sure I get a feeling I might win the lotto every time I play!!!

"There was no way that there was anything giong to happen in that one." - Are you Mystic Meg or something?

As long as Zidane was on that pitch France had a great chance of winning - all they neede was to deliver the final blow - but instead Zidane lost the plot and let everyone down

[ken foree]

I think that people will remember this more seeing that it was his last game

i won't but anyway. materazzi pinched his nips, said a few things, i'm sure we'll get professional lip readers to tell us 'what' before long. materazzi's dive from the headbutt itself was pathetic, but that won't get covered by the media. thus my previous comment, if zidane had nutted him in the teeth we could consider it truly vicious. look again, nothing injurious about that lunge at all at all. rash. stupid, yes. zidane was the best attacker on the pitch tonight while i agree it's an awful way to bow out.

no way should the french blame him. henry largely invisible. french actually beaten by two legit goals to one anyway.

perhaps the worse thing than the act itself was not returning to the pitch for his teammates.

[pineapple stu]

Sorry but that statement (in bold) is a load of bull imo, simple as that - sure I get a feeling I might win the lotto every time I play!!!

Big difference being that I was right and you were wrong.

I was saying it during the game that it was going to penalties. The chances are that Zidane being on the pitch wouldn't have made a difference. Therefore I feel your comment was a big exaggerated.

[pineapple stu]

http://imagesocket.com/images/zidane29b.gif
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9435/zidane27xu.gif

Ah, the internet is great!

[joema]

Big difference being that I was right and you were wrong.

I was saying it during the game that it was going to penalties. The chances are that Zidane being on the pitch wouldn't have made a difference. Therefore I feel your comment was a big exaggerated.

I'll go back to my earlier point - there was no way of knowing for certain that that game was going to pens - thats just your opinion - I felt we were going to get a winner in extra time and iirc so did at least two of the panelists. You say you had a feeling - now is that not just a wee bit vague??

"Big difference being that I was right and you were wrong."

[Dodge]

Jesus lads to try and make any excuse or justification for Zidane's act is unbelievable. It you love football you have to condemn this totally.
For me this will overshadow everything good that Zidane ever did on a football pitch. It is very very sad that he chose to do it at all but to do it on the biggest stage in the world all beggars belief.

If you love football, you allow Zidane to do whatver he likes. Anyone who thinks this headbutt takes away, in anyway, for 10+ years of brilliance is taking PC football to the limit. Of course it was stupid but so what, he's the only one to lose out, he doesn't owe anybody anything.

BTW Materazzi was brilliant tonight. MOTM by a mile IMO, even before the sending off