Twenty years on from the night in Berlin that still follows him across every screen, Zinédine Zidane will lead France into a symbolic meeting with Italy on Friday. The France coach faces the Azzurri in the Nations League at 20:45, with memories of the 2006 World Cup final inevitably close at hand.
Zidane addresses the 2006 final
Speaking on Thursday before France’s match against Italy, the 54-year-old was asked again about his red card in the World Cup final, when he headbutted Italy defender Marco Materazzi.
Zidane said he does not regret the incident, while making clear that he does not take pride in it.
- “No, I have no regrets. It is part of my career,” Zidane said.
- “I am not proud of what happened. I have said that before and I say it again.”
- “You cannot only do beautiful things, but there were beautiful things too.”
A familiar image, but not the whole story
The former France captain acknowledged that the headbutt remains one of football’s most replayed images, particularly whenever France and Italy meet. Zidane was dismissed in extra time of the 2006 final, which Italy went on to win on penalties.
But the France manager hopes his career will not be reduced to that single moment.
“The pictures always bring it back to me because they are shown everywhere on a loop,” he said. “Fortunately, that was not all I did. There are positive images as well.”
France-Italy carries a different weight
Friday’s Nations League fixture is not a World Cup final, but the anniversary gives the contest an unavoidable historical edge. For Zidane, now on the France bench rather than wearing the captain’s armband, it is another encounter with Italy — and another reminder of a moment he accepts as part of an extraordinary career.
