Zinédine Zidane sees 2006 final injustice revisited

Zinédine Zidane’s controversial exit from the 2006 World Cup final has returned to the spotlight as France prepares to face Italy again. The incident remains a source of perceived injustice for the former France captain, who is now leading the national team, even though he accepts that his reaction deserved a red card.

The subject dominated Thursday’s press conference ahead of Friday’s Nations League meeting at the Stade de France. Four journalists raised the final, accounting for almost one in four questions put to Zidane. The 2006 match ended with his dismissal after an altercation with Marco Materazzi, an episode that has followed him throughout the two decades since his playing career ended.

Zidane’s position has remained consistent: he is not proud of what he did, but he does not regret it. The sense of unfairness relates to the way the decision was reached, with the referee using replays shown on the stadium’s giant screen even though video assistant refereeing did not exist at the time. That process has led some observers to view Zidane as a victim of the circumstances surrounding the dismissal, without excusing the headbutt itself.

The latest France-Italy fixture also comes with a changed balance around the teams. Italy had recently ended a difficult period with a 4-1 victory over Turkey, giving the Nations League encounter added relevance beyond Zidane’s past.