Re: Zidane ??? He snapped and lost it. Deserved to be tossed, but I have one question....the timing of it leads me to conclude that the AR saw it on the replay on the JumboTron and not live. Is it legal to toss a player under those conditions?
Re: Zidane ??? The Dutch commentator says that action wasn't shown on the big screen in the stadium, to explain why the French supporters were whistling the ref and the Italians seeing as they might not have seen what happened. Which was as red as red can be.
Re: Zidane ??? Much debate on your question in the refs' forum. To my mind it's the best argument for going to some sort of replay system...... ever. I am dying to know what the Italian defender said to Zidane.
Re: Zidane ??? I would really like to know as well because players of African descent get called some pretty nasty things and they rarely just turn around and assault someone (with their head no less). I'm really angry that Zizou did that and required me to actually root for Italy to win the game. I know the Italian player creamed McBride but least it was going for the ball and he apologized.
I thought that call was BS. The refs didn't see it whatsoever. Of course the TV cameras got it, but we don't know for sure if it was shown on the big screen. And even IF it was shown on the big screen, how do we know the ref even saw it on the big screen and somebody didn't just tell him (and claimed he saw it) Also, do you guys really think a headbutt like that will drop you to the floor? Because it wouldnt drop me to a floor and I'm smaller than that guy. What' I've always thought is that Italian team made fouls, falls, trips more worse than they seem to be. If anybody saw it, an Italian player got double teamed to the corner of the field and he tried to make it look like a foul and the ref saw it and didn't call it out. Also, the arm in the face by the French player, it really didn't hit his face that hard but he made it seem like he blinded him or something. Which it did get called on. Complete BS man, Italians made the Penalty kicks but by the way they've been playing this whole World Cup I dont have any respect for them. edit: btw I applauded Zidane and was lmao when he headbutted him. Ita player got what came to him, unfortunately his team had to go down cause of it Come on now don't people usually punch or tackle each other? This guy straight up headbutts him, too good haha.
Slightly changing topic, is this act unprecedented in sports history? To go nuts on such a big stage in that manner? The best analogy I can think of is Tyson-Holyfield II, but Tyson bit Holyfield because he knew he was losing. If Zidane had done this with France down two goals, then it'd be comparable to that. As it is...I can't think of anything like this. Can you?
I'm definitely of the opinion that Materazzi embellished it, and I have suspicions that he baited Zidane into doing that by ignoring the whole "Let's Kick Racism Out of Football" campaign, but Zidane shouldn't expect to get away with that headbutt.
It's definitely the wrong stage to do it, but I felt that ITA players had it coming to them. Zidane must felt so frustrated and angry by the corrupt way ITA players conduct themselves. What set him off finally was what that ITA player said to him.
I can't think of another act this big by a player of his stature with the game on the line. Viera and Henry had already been subbed out and while Trezeguet is a great player I have to think that not having those three lined up to take PK's cost the french.
How bad was ZZ hurt? One possiblity is that he was too injured to continue and used this as escape. Not saying this happened, just throwing it out there. Completely bizarre. Up there with Ronaldo in 98.
1) We don't know if the officials missed it. That is pure speculation right now. They very well might have but they also might have seen it as well. 2) Looking at the video Pepsi (nice name) put up there I don't even know if the Italian player expected something like that to happen. I sure think that the surprise of getting hit straight in the chest unexpectedly could pretty much knock you right off your feet.
Hey everyone, I can't post a new topic cuz I am new but can someone tell me the name of the song that was played in the stadiums after every WC match.
Re: Zidane ??? This has to be it, you have a team full of African(by birth/ancestery) players and a team of only Italians(Italians aren't racists) I think that racial dynamic was too overpowering and we saw it play out on the pitch in Berlin. To me this is my only conclusion untill Zidane says otherwise. Zidane played in italy for a number of years Im sure he speaks a little Italian...something bad was diffently said.