Zinedine Zidane retired after a headbutt in the 2006 World Cup Final due to a red card, ending his career. The incident occurred in the 109th minute of the match between France and Italy, when Zidane headbutted Italian defender Marco Materazzi in response to verbal insults.
The Incident
The headbutt incident happened after Materazzi allegedly provoked Zidane with verbal insults. According to Materazzi, Zidane teased him, saying "If you want my shirt, you can have it after the game." This exchange led to the headbutt, which was seen by official Luis Medina Cantalejo, who confirmed the incident to head referee Horacio Elizondo.
Aftermath
The headbutt and subsequent red card had a significant impact on the match, as France went on to lose the final in a penalty shootout. Zidane's retirement from football was also sealed, as he had announced his intention to retire after the 2006 World Cup. For more information on the FIFA World Cup, including teams and scorers, visit our website. You can also find more football explained articles and football news on our site.
Sources
- How Zinedine Zidane’s Headbutt Unraveled the 2006 World Cup Final - Yahoo Sports
- Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt and why he did it in 2006 final
- As it happened When Zinedine Zidane bowed out of football by pole ...
- World Cup stunning moments: Zinedine Zidane's head-butt | World Cup | The Guardian