The World Cup

[mataharirules]

Quote.
It's a paradox... Zidane acts like a nut and people blames Materazzi 'cause of what he "could" have said.

And for who doens't know: Materazzi's mum died when he was young, and for him mother is sacred and would have never insulted another one's mum (his words).

So it was no terrorist or mum. Even if he insulted Zidane's sister, that is very common (Son of a b... etc.) and no way it justifies headbutting someone in a world cup final or other match as well.

 

[DianeH]

I read just now that Gallas, a french player, would like to beat Materazzi up "for what he did to Zidane".

Are they nuts? They must have the vice of beating people up, lol.

No way what is said justifies what is done.

 

[Phenom]

Now it seems that the exchange went like this:

Materazzi pulls a little the shirt of Zidane...

Zidane: If you want my shirt, I'll give it to you as a present after the match.

Materazzi: With your shirt you can wipe your ass.


ROTFL!
If it is true it's very cool!


Or maybe:

Materazzi: Zidane, saw how Buffon took your headshot over the post? You're not good with your headshots anymore, you old fart!

Zidane: Aw, yes? Look! SSSSSBBBBAAAAAAAM!

Materazzi *falls down*


BTW, FIFA gave Zidane the award as best player. This is the trophy:

 

[LILmermaid]

Let's wait and see what Zidane says and then we will at least have his side of the story...

Razor: To be honest though the fact that Matarazzi did not immediately say "Look I just told him to wipe his ass with his shirt" does seem a bit suspect. I mean if you just said something stupid but fairly inoffensive wouldn't you just admit it immediately? Im sure reporters were asking... but instead we get comments like: "It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist, I'm ignorant. I don't even know what the word means. The whole world saw what happened on live TV."

Who doesn't know what the word terrorist means?!?

Taff: Where di you get the 14 red card statistic? Also, where did you get the record about the other headbutts? As I cant seem to find any source mentioning it on the net and you would imagine it would be a commonly quoted fact by now... still once again I don't doubt Zidane has a temper and shouldn't have acted the way he did what I do doubt however is that he is known for losing his temper as I've never heard this mentioned ever before by any commentator or in any interview I've ever seen involving him.

 

[nineteenkilo30hotel]

I heard 14 and 11 red cards so I don't know what's right and I can't find statistics. In an article in The Observer about him a couple a years ago it said:

 

[easty]

Let me tell ya something.

Not happy with Italy winning the WC. I dislike the antics, diving and cheating attitude Italian soccer players are so renowned for.

Wish it was Argentina instead of France.

Then it would be Argentina 3 Italy 0.

Looking forward for South Africa 2010. I'll be there for sure cos I have a couple of Sprinbocks mates living in Cape Town area and a visit is due.

Italy won't survive SA for sure!

 

[PuertoricanChicktt]

To be fair Italy's "antics" were no worse than anyone else's. Argentina don't exactly have the best record for sportsmanship in the world cup either.

 

[jefs]

ROTFL!
Coming from a country that has won a World Cup match in 1986 scoring against England with a hand!!!



Wish, would, blah blah... continue whining... but the fact is that Argentina got kicked out of the World Cup in no time, as long as Brasil.
Look forwad for South Africa as you want... you'll see a nation come as World Champions, and that nation is ITALY!

And what makes me sad is that if the head butt was given by an italian, NO ONE whould be here pointing the finger at the "provocator". Remember the ass behaviour of Totti at the Euro 2004? When he spitted to Poulsen? Then nobody asked "what did Poulsen say to Totti to provoke such a reaction?", while the danish spent all the time of the match insulting and beating Totti.

The fact is: Italy has no more divers than other countries, and don't play catenaccio more than other countries.

 

[VictoriaO]

The 14 red card stat
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SOC_WCUP_ZIDANE?SITE=ILBLO&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-07-10-14-26-05




I don't think anyone does that anymore, I can't remember the last time I saw a team play with a genuine sweeper. A shame really as it means there won't be another Scirea or Beckenbauer.

 

[Nightstar]

here's another gif

 

[BlueEyesOfMisery]

We only have Materazzis word for that, and lets face it, he isn't going to admit to racially abusing Zidane, because FIFA would hang him out to dry and since we are talking about form, Materazzi is widely known as a wind up merchant. I'm still very interested in what Zidane has to say about it.

Fact remains, Italy won the World Cup. I dont think they did anything special during the tournament to deserve the win, but they picked up the pieces when the favourites were eliminated.

 

[TimmyTimmyBoBimmy]

Looks like we'll hear ZZ's version of events tonight:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/5169342.stm

 

[JulieAM]

This is a disgrace - FIFA need to actually do something for a change. You cant have players making slurs like that against a fellow pro.

Since Sunday evening the whole World has been debating what Italian defender Marco Materazzi said to Zinedine Zidane to make the retiring Frenchman react in the way he did. The French captain, in his last ever professional game, thrust his head into Materezzi's chest in Sunday's World Cup Final resulting in a red card and shame for Zidane. Today, with the help of Italian lip-reader Arturo Belladini, we can reveal what drove Zidane to self destruct;

Materazzi was seen to hold Zidane's shirt on the edge of the penalty box in extra-time at which point Zidane said

"if you want my shirt so bad you can have it"

Materazzi responded

"I dont want your shirt you m***** f*****. you're a f****** old man"

As they jog away Zidane is seen to laugh at this and it is unclear how he responded due to him having his back to the TV camera

Materazzi then hit a volley of abuse

"you should've quit 2 years ago, you're a f****** has-been"

"m***** f*****! your mum is a terrorist and you are to, f*** you old man f*** you"

"old man, this arena is not for you anymore m***** f*****"

Zidane carries on jogging away

"you are only good enough for Tottenham now" It's at this very point Zidane turned and head-butted him.

 

[SteveC2]

Wow, now that's some mother-cussing right there!

I'm gonna have to remember that one.

 

[Murugane]

LOL. That was below the belt.

 

[buttersboy]

So in suofftopicry, it was a good World Cup for:

- Italy (because they won!)
- France (far exceeded anyone's expectations)
- Germany (did far better than expected, and did a great job as hosts)
- Ghana (made it out of the group stage in their first WC finals)
- Ivory Coast (unfortunate not to progress, but seem to have impressed everyone)

It was a bad World Cup for:

- Argentina (it was their tournament to win, and they blew it)
- Brazil (way below the high standards expected from Brazil teams)
- England (an utter shambles from start to finish)
- Switzerland (negative tactics backfired)
- Czech Republic (missed the last chance for some of their ageing stars)

It was a mixed World Cup for:

- Portugal (got to the semi's, but will be remembered more for their diving than their football)
- Ukraine (made it to the QF's in their first WC finals, but will be remembered mainly for their negativity)
- Mexico (the perennial under-achievers looked set for a good run, but got a tough draw against Argentina)

Ultimately, it was a slightly disappointing World Cup, because it never lived up to it's early promise. There were some excellent games in the group stages, but the knockout rounds never really caught fire, despite one or two very good games. Not the worst final, but unsatisfactory due to being settled on penalties.

The best thing about this World Cup for me was the fans. The expected hooligan problems never really materialised, and FIFA's much-heralded desire for a World Cup where 'friends would be made' seems at least to have happened off the pitch, rather than on it!

 

[MalG]

Im not saying this coz i live in australia, but i really think that they had a really good run, all of their matches consisted of referee's that looked like they never even seen football (they were crap in other words)
Also, they kept up with the best of them, even holding italy to 0-0 before the ref went blind and blew his wistle in injury time of the final 16 match.

They really went much further than most people in australia thought they'd go

 

[STFUDonnie]

DOH!!!!!! I can't believe I missed out Australia!

They had a great World Cup, and are well and truly on the football map now.

 

[sallyw098]

How can you leave the United States off the bad World Cup list?

 

[pinksmurf870]

I don't think they were any worse than expected