24 hours did not pass from Zidane's reaction and Materazzi, according to the informations already going around, told so many things that could not even fit a 2 day's match...

...Zidane behaved like an animal for a couple of seconds. He's not the victim.

OWNED

ITALIANO please be fair-play in the victory and stop insult Zizou he makes a fantatisc world cup.

Except heading Matterazzi

Of course zizou deserved the red card.

But Materazzi certainly deserved a good headbutt in the mouth (ZZ aimed a little bit too low in fact) but NOT during the final of the worldcup !!!!

Only after the match maybe in the corridor to the changing room.

Guys.. but did u play football in your life? During the match players say a lot of horrible things.. is not funny, ok, but also this is football.

Zidane was stupid. Stop.

Zidane deserved the red card, but also did Materazzi if he said that.

As a French fan, I'm deeply afflicted by what I can read on this topic from French, Italian, and other fans.

Matterazzi is a dumb ass for sure and I hope Zizou will sooner or later tell what this moron said to him. Anyway, in 50 years the most remembered of the two will be Zidane, so...

This doesn't excuse his gesture though, but I think it had no effect on the team's spirit, they kept on attacking during the last ten minutes. Plus, apart from Trézéguet, all Frenchmen scored their penalties, and Trézéguet was sort of unlucky since Buffon was obviously beaten on his shot.

I read one post saying that, when the Italians were exhausted - and actually they were exhausted from the middle of the 2nd half till the end of extra time - more French players should have been attacking to make a decisive difference. That is probably true. Hadn't the French team been a little hesitant given they feared (and they were right to fear) Italian technique in "contropiedi", at one point in time we would have scored a goal giving us the world cup.

I don't think Domenech's coaching was bad, he waited patiently to change players and replacing Henry was logical given how exhausted he was.

So, congrats to the Italians who'd been waiting for 24 years before winning it again, "rendez-vous" in September at the Stade de France for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

To all French fans who're disappointed, don't forget that we're anyway among the few nations who won the World Cup and that, if the job is done well, we'll go to Austria and Switzerland in 2008 to gain our 3rd Euro and then to South Africa in 4 years to hopefully claim this time our second world title.

This is a defeat full of nostalgy but also full of hopes for the future...

ALLEZ LES BLEUS

Do you mean its normal to insult and provocate a player like zidane in a final of the world cup ?

I mean it's not a serie C match !

Showing a little bit of respect for the player is too much for MAterazzi?


This guy is a pathetic and mean human being.

Once again I do not contest Italy's victory, why should I?
it was fully deserved, but I am so sad for Zidane, this is a real tragedy for him.
It is too easy to say "it is well deserved, he is so stupid".

If players are so used to be insulted then what Materazzi said must have been really shocking for him.

Yes you have reason POOR ZIDANE...

Zidane is mad! He's crazy! In the world cup final he hit marco in that way! What a behaviour! With juve he did the same thing in the european cup, but during the final!Also trezueget said in italian that he was wrong yesterday! Stop to insutl italian victory! France played better in the second half and during the extra-time, Italy during the first time... But they scored with a penalty! Italy scored during the game! there is a difference! CAMPIONI! Chi non salta un francese č!

it was the perfect game

- bad football

- bad behaviour


and ITALY WIN

RC_Lens - sort your life out. All this rubbish about money money money... Do you really think anyone wanted Italy to win? Did you even bother to watch when the medals were awarded? All the French players were hugged and kissed and "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry", and only SOME of the Italians were even given a handshake!!! And Blatter - he was so sad about it that he ran off! That's outrageous - he was supposed to hand the winners the cup, unless Italy won, of course!!

Money, money, money... A dubious penalty was awarded AGAINST Italy- remember? How many times was Toni taken down from behind - no foul. WOW!! They must've paid a lot!!! Maybe Blatter was counting his money, was he!!! RUBBISH.

Italy played a better first half, and had some very good opportunities even in the second half. But overall France played better in the second half and the first half of extra time, until Zidane was sent off.

Maybe France could've done better with another attacker, but would have conseguently lost a plyer in midfiled, thus less ball possession. That's exactly what happened when Totti was taken off. Italy managed to get the ball more. Then, when France played with 2 attackers they became more dangerous, but so did Italy. I think Italy suffered lack of experience, more than anything. ANd they suffered by leaving Toni on his own (like France suffered with just Henry). Having just one attacker makes it harder to score.

The sending off..... He deserved it. No matter what is said to you, you should NEVER react like that. What are YOU going to remember Zidane for? His brilliant play against Brazil, or what happened last night? I'll remember him for the latter. What a shame. If all humans reacted like that to any provocation there'd be a constant world war. What a shame. If you did that to someone in public, you'd end up in PRISON. It's assault. There are no excuses. It was the most violent thing I've seen in ages. He could have broken Materazzi's ribs.

"so shocking for him"... What are you on about? How can TWO WORDS (can't be any more than that) "shock" him so much? "Help, Help! He shocked me!! I know, I'll headbutt him!!!". Stupid.

Instead of finding excuses for Zidane, why don't you help condemn violent actions in and out of field?

I am disappointed that he did not choose to ignore whatever "below the belt", ignorant or racist comment made by Matuzzari.

But since he chose the option of retaliating physically, I don't understand why he didn't go all the way??? If I was in his shoes, I would have aimed for the jugular, making sure to knock out a few teeth just to wipe that stupid and evil smirk from Matuzarri's face. :

Can you beleive the nerve of this guy, taping the shoulder of the French guy, when he scored...?

Anyhow, Zidane still won the Golden Ball and will be remembered as a classy player who made this sport beautiful to watch with his style and greatness.

Go Zidane! Go Zidane! Go Zidane!

marianne32... WHAT?!!! You're saying Materazzi's goal should've been disallowed. Please, go watch volleyball, or something. Football isn't for you.

I'm glad you approve of violence so much. I wonder if you'll think the same when someone aims for your "jugular, making sure to knock out a few teeth ".

Come on...

That is a very important point.

Zidane is/was an idol to thousands and thousands of youngsters all over the world - not just French.

If he had been allowed to stay on the field it would have been a tragedy. It would have sent out the message that it is okay to be violent, it is okay to assault someone - so long as the referee does not see.

I don't want my children growing up with that sort of message, how can it be good for the next generation of young sportsmen, to believe that physical attacks are acceptable?

At least this sends out the message that no matter who you are, no matter how great or wonderful a footballer (and he IS a wonderful player) - then if you break the rules and resport to violence, you walk off that field with NOTHING more to do with the game.

As for what was said, words, just....words. Words you can walk away from. Words you can ignore. Words you can complain about or sort out AFTER the match is over. All of them were giving the verbals out on the pitch. It happens. I can't believe that Materazzi managed to think of an insult so original, so unique, so shocking that it had never been heard before! Ignore verbal insults while there is a match to be won! That should be the lesson that all youngsters take away from this.

But still, if the message does get through that even the greatest have to avoid physical violence on the pitch, then maybe something good will have come out of the madness of the whole affair.

stop crying.
zidane lost the WC.
is not unusual if anyone say [beep!] to another guy on a soccer field while playing, but stay quiet next time, dont play mortal kombat.
was zidane's fault, im sorry with you french guys but, u cant say no... this is the true story.
u can answer to an affront, not with this system, like zidane did.
we did better first half, france better the 2nd and extra time, maybe because we did extra time with germany, we were a bit more tired than french players.
this is soccer, the ball is round, all can happen.
but if you want to get mad for something with someone, speak with your idol, yesterday did something wrong, not the best way to end his career.
nice to FIFA, zidane best player of the world cup, that was L O L .
see you @ european tourney or maybe at south africa 2010 if u get qualifyed ( like 2 times recently u didnt pass the qualify stage l a w l )

@ rc lens: u dotn know nothing about italian football and WC history, but you still speak. go learn soccer history then come here and speak, noob, cry more, read what you are writing make our victory A LOT much better, please dont stop, continue say [beep!], we are glad with the cup in Rome.

sorry for my bad english, but im sure u will understand what i wrote.
bye guys, was a great wc, perfect organization from germany.

imo all go home but italian team go home with the cup auahhaha

nice pictures... lol

I hope that the whole world will not think about that when they'll talk of zidane carrer...

If u hit an opponent in last match of your career ,in the last match of a final of a world cup,never the people will rememeber of u like the best player of history.The only shame of this world cup is that F.I.F.A. gives to ZIdane the "best player" title.......

You all,now have to swallow what your coach and press said about the portuguese team.
Diving and cheating, cheating and diving its only what your team can do.


You domestic monkey and best player of the cup showned to world that he can makes tricks with his head.




The best player of the cup is one of the guiltys of the french defeat.Dont make you laugh?


Take a cold shower and go to sleep or get drunk like the english.







AU REVOIR FRANCE

Yeah au revoir and?? What's the point in trying to make people angry?

We will have our revenge and that's all !

materazzi said monkey?!
a radio presenter in germany (from Bavaria 3) said that materazzi offended zidanes mother or his wife!
okay it was not fair from zindane but i would do the same!!!
what a shame that zidane didn't come at the end to collect his award!
uniform whatever happens zidane was a great football-player!!!

Yes, though Hitler was born in 1889, Italy, under Benito Mussolini was a fascist country with it. And, as in Germany, there would still be extreme right wing white supremacist groups, not discouraged by Berlusconi's corrupt right-wing leadership. And I also read somewhere than when Materazzi was tussling with Zidane, he tweaked Zidane's nipple (kinky), and from memory of the replay it looked very possible, or at least Materazzi's hand/fingers were in the right place.