World Cup

[Tarbicus]

If the rumours are true about what Materazzi said to Zidane to cause the spark that made Zidane do what he did (to the chest not the head) then Materazzi should be made to apologise as well, and hang his head in even greater shame.

Clue to the rumour: although born in France, Zidane has Algerian roots like many other French players.

A shame Ronaldo wasn't carded when he double headbutted Rooney before their match even started, and that was without any provocation at all. :wink:

[Goffredo]

Come now.
Zidane in his past already showed to lose his temper: he stomped all over a guy once, and used his head to hit a person in the face at least in another occasion. Whatever Matterzzi said would hade made others laugh, frown, and maybe even angry to the point of reacting in an instinctive way. But poor Zidane lost it and made a cool physical assault with all the power he could put into it. Zidane went quite slowly up to Matterazzi, aimed, closed his fists and hit hard and precisely, not like a wounded animal but more with a killer instinct. Zidane made the mistake of going WAY overboard and in such a mean way. Period.

A great man is even more responsible for his deeds and we should expect more from him and not easily forgive him for reacting as a child to a childish provocation, whatever it may have been. Zidane should apologise and then tell us what happened. Indeed we are all asking ourselves what Matterazzi said: comments on Zidane's mother or sister? (a true classic). I've heard the thoery that Matterazzi said he is was terrorist. Ha ha ha. Poor Zidane? I will never feel sorry for Zidane. This is the best compliment I can make to him.

[Tarbicus]

Goffredo, I didn't say Zidane did no wrong, nor did I excuse what he did.

I said if Matterazzi made a racist comment like saying he was a terrorist, or perhaps his parents, then Matterazzi should be apologising as well and be hanging his head in shame. My comments aren't in support of Zidane.

Or do you think it was okay for Matterazzi to do that, if indeed that was what he did? A player in England would be in serious doo-doo if the ref heard him say something like that here. Even fans are banned if caught saying or gesturing something racist. FIFA also have rules about racism on and off the pitch, being able to suspend a whole national association for not taking action, and don't forget, they also now have the means to make post-match decisions on a player's conduct :wink:

[Goffredo]

If Matterazzi did make a racist or terrorist remark it would indeed be bad and I would agree that Matterazzi be firmly criticized and if possible punished. But I refuse to feel sorry for Zidane ("poor Zidane") and am hostile to Zidane in direct proportion to how much I admire him. And I especially find it stupid and profoundly hypocritical to give him the best player award as if nothing happened!!!!!

Jeff

p.s. Whatever happened to the adage "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me". I was brought up with it. Today everyone finds it normal to lose control. Justificationisms, contextualizations,...

[Tarbicus]

I thoroughly agree that Zidane should have had a red card, it's not acceptable, but I believe Mattarazzi's insult (which he has admitted to but only denies insulting Zidane's family) was overheard by another French player who also wanted to punch his lights out.

I'm not condoning what Zidane did. I also think Rooney should have been sent off, but I find it annoying that Ronaldo got away with his headbutting him from behind, thoroughly unprovoked and while Rooney was chatting to another player before the match had even started.

However, if it turns out that the insult was racist then serious action needs to be taken against Matarazzi. FIFA rules are clear on this, and the best way to set an example is for FIFA to bring down serious retribution on him if the Italian FA doesn't. If he'd said it to the referee what would have happened?

There's too much diving, provocation and other sly ploys in the game right now, and it needs to be stamped on with a big studded boot. Caligae would be perfect :wink:

[Ebusitanus]

http://www.break.com/index/zidane_head_butt_game.html


It seems the riff between Italians and French is getting bigger:

(ANSA) - Rome, July 11 - Controversial ex-minister Roberto Calderoli was at the centre of a fresh storm on Tuesday after making derogatory comments about France's national soccer team .

In a statement issued Monday in celebration of Italy's World Cup defeat of France, deputy Senate speaker Calderoli said the French team was made up of "blacks, Muslims and Communists", sparking protests from the French Embassy .

Calderoli is a leading member of the regionalist Northern League, one of the four parties in the centre-right opposition headed by former premier Silvio Berlusconi .

He was forced to resign from the Berlusconi government earlier this year after he appeared on television wearing a T-shirt printed with cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad .

In his World Cup statement, Calderoli held up the Italian victory as a "triumph of our identity" - a phrase which was already unusual for an anti-Rome party which fiercely champions devolution .

"A team which fielded Lombards, Campanians, Venetians and Calabrians won against a team which sacrificed its identity for results by fielding blacks, Muslims and Communists," he said .

Calderoli said the new centre-left government headed by Premier Romano Prodi "would very probably have supported this France with no identity and the headbutts of Zidane" .

[Goffredo]

Hi Tabaricus
I fear we are drifting apart more and more. In my opinion Zidane messed up far more than Matterzzi did. Any professional contact sportsman that never got a provocative insult stand up! Very few. Of the very many that did I now ask how many of you lost control as poor Zidane did and struck at the provocateur so violently? Matterazzi's behavior is bad and indeed UNFORTUNATELY FREQUENT among players of many contact sports. Maybe in England, the nation where noble sportsmanship abounds, contact sportsmen think only about playing and do not provoke one another with remarks about mothers, sisters and wives. Italy is certainly backwards and much has yet to be done to root such behavior out, including severe punishments. Any suggestions? Certainly you don't go about giving them prizes just for playing well altogether ignoring their poor sportsmanship.

What I do know is that in soccer Zidane's behavior is FORTUNATELY RARE in spite of the many provocations among soccer players (besides those of England). I really do believe Zidane's behavior is significantly worst and I find it unproductive to insist that Matterazzi is to shame or to blame or even to add that another Frenchman heard and wanted to beat up Matterazzi too. Good for him that he didn't, else he too would have made a terrible mistake.

[Dagann]

Hi all.

First of all: Congratulations to Italia for their victory.

As a frenchman, i will give my opinion, a bit partial i guess :roll:

France is very disapointed since french team was so near of a victory and we all feel sad.
By the way France keep the coach Domenech for the Euro, i can tell you we will loose.
If france was able to come to the final, this is thanks to the players, the coach didn't help and made a lot of mistakes.

About Zinedine Zidane:
He will talk about what happened in a few days.

Zidane should'nt have react that way, we all have been offended and disapointed
But we should'nt be surprised, it's not the firts time he reacts this way cause of a bad player's behaviour.
I do not excuse what Zidane did, but i undertsand it.
Materazzi perfectly knew Zidane is a hothead, so insulting him was the best way to get rid of him.
The insult could have been a racist word. We dont' have to forget the World cup was played under the "sign" of the fight against racism.
It sounds a bit ironic, no?

About the insult, many rumors.
What are the word said by the italian player?:
-Terrorist
-Son of Harki (wich could be the most serious insult for a man with algerian and Kabyle origins)
-Insults on his family, sister or his mother (she could be sick)

Zidane could apologise because what he did was stupid as great man.
He is supposed to set an exemple.
He should ask forgiveness to all people who love him but certainly not asking forgivness to Materazzi.

Zinedine Zidane has been punished.
I think Materazzi should apologize.
And if it was a racist insult, he should be punished.

FIFA will investigate against Zizou.
Sos racisme, a famous french organisation against racism has asked to the FIFA for an investigation.

Here the video of this very moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1i_l0OeeMc

A video about Materrazi

Not full of dispassion but it gives an idea the man
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... =materazzi

[Tarbicus]

Thanks Dagann for sharing that last video. I think out of the two of them, it's pretty obvious which one's the real psycho.

Goffredo, I'm sorry but I'm not really one for turning the other cheek if the insult is bad enough, unfortunately Zidane went too far. The problem with bullies is if you don't confront them then they just keep doing it. Hopefully, the incident itself will bring more attention to the racism that goes on in football, especially if Materazzi is punished for what he might have said.

Think about this: Zidane's retiring, probably a very wealthy man, still loved by France, still recorded in history as one of the greatest players the world has seen (which he is, regardless of a couple of incidents), so it's actually no skin off his nose. Materazzi has to continue though, and if his clearly animalistic behaviour is scrutinised closely from now on perhaps some good will come out of it. Maybe Zidane's smarter than you think, and he's surely brought certain behaviour and attitudes to the forefront. Intentional or not, hopefully that would be a very worthy parting shot.

[Atrectus]

I agree that if it was a racist insult, Materazzi should be punished. But if it was something about Zidane's family - get a break, that's part of the game, though not a nice part, I admit. Some Argentinian players tried to provoke the Germans in a similar way during the penalty shoot out. The best reaction is to ignore such remarks.

I wonder if not the head shots influence the brain, after all, there's a lot of impact involved (physicists can probably come up with some nifty formulas I don't understand :wink: ). And Zidane just attempted a head goal a few minutes before his blackout - maybe his brain cells were still trying to find their proper places again.

[Tarbicus]

But if it was something about Zidane's family - get a break, that's part of the game, though not a nice part, I admit.

Thing is, the one and only subject that Materazzi does deny was in the insult was about Zidane's mother and sister.

[Atrectus]

Thing is, the one and only subject that Materazzi does deny was in the insult was about Zidane's mother and sister.

But if it was racist, why doesn't Zidane come forward and says, ok, I've overreacted and screwed up and I'm sorry, but he called me an Algerian camel herder son of a Harki, and since I'm proud of my Algerian ancestors I got really upset.

Maybe Materazzi called him gay, which is not an insult per se, but could be for someone with Zidane's cultural background. More difficult to admit as reason for losing it than a racist slur, though.

Such a secrecy about that insult - I won't wonder if the English who bet on anything have a list up already.

Let's see.

a) Your sister/mother is a whore
b) You can't get it up
c) You love pretty boys
d) You stink of camel shit
e) Your father stinks of camel shit
f) Son of a Harki

Any more suggestions? :twisted:

[Dagann]

But if it was racist, why doesn't Zidane come forward and says, ok, I've overreacted and screwed up and I'm sorry, but he called me an Algerian camel herder son of a Harki, and since I'm proud of my Algerian ancestors I got really upset.

We don't have to forget Zidane is very modest and don't speak a lot.



I have just watched the Zizou interview on the french tv.

Here a small summary for people who don't speak french:
Sorry for my clumsy English.
i think you will find a translation in your favorite newspaper tomorrow.

Materazzi has insulted the Zidane's family, with very hard words, more precisley insulting his sister and his moter.
If i understood well, Materazzi had already said these insults 2 times. zidane tried to appeased the situation. But at the 3d time, Zidane kicked him.

About the very precises words, he said nothing, but he made us understood what have said the specialits in the british newspapers was true.
He apologised to his fans and children cause his wrong move is not forgivable, but he does not regret . Regretting would mean Materazzi was rigt
He would have prefered being hit than hearing thess insults.
About the Fifa investigation, he will try to make them understand that without provocation, there is not reaction.


So Materazzi has lied.

[Tarbicus]

But if it was racist, why doesn't Zidane come forward and says, ok,

Quite likely the lawyers will have been working out if he could say anything, we are talking about mega-bucks footballers and their clubs here. I know I'd want to cover my back with Materazzi about. In fact, a suit of armour would be the minimum. :wink:

[url:3sxaizne]http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1741662,00120002.htm[/url]

[Tarbicus]

And just to pick up on the brighter side of footie, I once read that "Talent is that which most find difficult to do, but genius is that which talent finds impossible to do."

[url:2qpwr0d9]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-599012856760622842&q=zidane[/url]

[url:2qpwr0d9]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6816709859179565092&q=pele[/url]

[url:2qpwr0d9]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5744752703076918167&q=%22michael+owen%22[/url]
Look out forthe best goalie's save of all time halfway through that one