French fans praise Zidane despite red card — 2006 FIFA World Cup final

There are very few moments that stick in the minds of football fans. No matter how big an event they may easily forget, but the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final between France and Italy on July 9, 2006, held at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany, is universally accepted as an immortal moment in the world of football history. This event revolves around the then captain of the France national football team, Zinedine Zidane, which overshadowed other moments of that historic match. After this day, if someone mentions the name of the legendary French midfielder and captain Zinedine Zidane, he will certainly not end the conversation without mentioning this moment in history.

 

During the scheduled 90 minutes of the match, both teams tied 1:1 and as the final whistle of the extra time was approaching, the audience's heart rate was also increasing. At that time, the tension in Berlin's Olympiastadion reached a fever pitch. Zidane, who once announced his retirement from the national team, returned to the World Cup, displaying his best skills in the tournament, leading France to the final with a mixture of elegance and determination. However, fate took an unexpected turn in the 110th minute of the final match when Zidane hit Italian defender Marco Materazzi with his skinhead on the chest.

Image Source: theguardian.com

 Watch video of Zidane's headbutt on Materazzi

The incident, now immortalized, saw Zidane headbutt Materazzi, resulting in Zidane being shown a red card and an abrupt end to his illustrious career on the grandest stage like the World Cup. Zidane's brilliant career came to an abrupt end. It was a painful moment for French fans and fans of the beautiful game, as they witnessed the unexpected departure of a footballing maestro.

 

Following the conclusion of that final match, then French President Jacques Chirac uttered words that resonated with Zidane's spirit. Chirac praised Zidane as "a man of heart and faith" and emphasized the emotional connection Zidane had built with the French people over the years. Aside from the infamous headbutt, Chirac acknowledged the broader story of Zidane's career, giving a broader narrative of extraordinary skill, leadership, and commitment to his team and country. Zidane's journey from the streets of Marseille to the pinnacle of world football is a story of resilience and triumph. His ability to transcend the sport and become the epitome of French footballing prowess is a testament to his exceptional talent and charismatic leadership.

 

The 2006 World Cup final may be remembered for the moment of controversy, but this moment alone should not overshadow the brilliance that Zidane brought to the table through the beautiful game. His legacy extends far beyond this headbutt incident, encompassing his storied career as well as leaving an indelible mark on football history.

 

Finally, despite Zidane's behavior on the pitch during the World Cup finals is controversial, it adds complexity to his narrative. He will remain as "a man of heart and conviction" behind not only his success but also the human elements that define his journey. Zinedine Zidane is a shining star in the world of football whose legacy transcends the limits of victory and defeat and his extraordinary contributions to the game are forever etched in the hearts of all sports lovers.

 

On 10 July, 2006, some general citizens roaming at Paris were asked question about the performances of France in final of world cup 2006, to which they gave following opinions:

1. "As for Zidane's send off, it is a shame that it ends like that, but he is a human being. He must be an example for the youth and all, but I wasn't that shocked, if the other player really pushed him around and annoyed him, there's no problem."

2. "It was a real shame that they ended on this image, but I think they had a chance to win as much as to lose. They played a very good game. They mustn't be ashamed of themselves."

3. "They did their best. It was a very nice game anyway. It is a stroke of luck for the Italians. It's more about chance than anything else."

4. "I think Zidane did not behave very well, it is a shame, but it is our cousins who won after all."

5. "I was sad regarding Zidane's gesture because I know he is very unhappy about it. I'm sad for him. Apparently the Italian did something. He must have insulted him or said something serious. That's why Zidane reacted accordingly. It's unusual for him to react like that. We all know Zidane, he's the coolest guy in the world, as everybody says. It's a pity!"

 

For many French fans, Zinedine Zidane's head-butt in the 2006 World Cup final left a lasting impact, overshadowing the disappointment of France's loss and tarnishing his iconic career. But, when France national football team returned back to Paris at 10 July 2006, the crowd screamed wildly for Zidane.  Jacques Chirac said, in his speech at the Elysee Palace, where he received the team, "By bringing France to the final for the second time in eight years you gave us enormous honour and enormous pride." Fans waiting at the airport to greet the team were asked about Zidane's behaviour, to which fans replied:

1. "(We are here) to support them and tell them thank you for exciting us for a whole month, for making us dream, because we never thought we would get to the final. We were living it day after day, especially after the first round, we were living it day after day, it was a dream."

2. "Zizou is the best, and I think he is going to apologize with such a gesture, with all the pressure he had, it wasn't right, but I don't know what happened, what was said. In any case he is a great player."

3. "I really hope that he (Zidane) is going to explain himself in front of the cameras but it does not seem that will be the case to explain his gesture, because in France he represents today's youth. It is important for the young people to understand what happened, that it's not right."

 

In a nutshell, disheartened supporters paid homage to the retiring French captain Zinedine Zidane and refrained from placing blame on him for their team's loss in the World Cup final against Italy. Despite being sent off for head-butting an opponent, fans chose to honor his contributions instead of criticizing his actions.

—   Omnath Pokharel

For the video where fans shared their feelings (Including Reference Image which is actually screengrabs from following videos) :  

1.Reaction from Paris the day after France's WCup final defeat

2. Reaction from then President Jacques René Chirac the day after France's WCup final defeat