FIRST!
I bet it's like a good piece of sausage! Mmmm.
I just heard his cock was huge, not Italian.
haha yesssss I win!
The head butt was the only reason I watched the replay of that shit last night. (in between treasure hunters of course, lol)
yeah the head butt was awesome. apparently the french guy called the italian guy a terrorist. maybe it was the other way around. either way, funny shit.
Jeez this is weird Lenny Kravitz celebrating because Italians won?Have i missed something? 
that is random that lenny is all ' go italy'...he must be touring over there...stars always do that! they get to a country and am like 'i love (country) and im planing on buying a house here. your girls/guys are hot here
mmmmm Lenny is so hawt. I heard he's packin' a big one too 
that's great.....whatever it is.
What the fuck is he all happy about? Bitch lives in Manhattan.
Gianluigi Buffon should have won the Golden Ball, not that thug Zidane.
http://www.buffononline.com/
I agree LA... Buffon so deserved it. Fuck Zizou and his baldness......
that is random that lenny is all ' go italy'...he must be touring over there...stars always do that! they get to a country and am like 'i love (country) and im planing on buying a house here. your girls/guys are hot here
UKchristina | 07.11.06 - 5:02 pm | #
So true and i love how they always say this is the best audience or fun they had so far.To every fucking country!
Did anyone see the Colbert Report last night?
USA!!!! USA!!!!!!!!!! USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He might be but he does love Italian women just ask Madonna.
How did the US do? did we win?
Myself - USA tied Italy who won, so US made a great showing!
the US got knocked out in the first round by Guam or some shit like that.
was that when an italy player accidently made a goal for us? ...sweet...we tied the champions. wouldn't that put us in second place, since France DIDN'T tie the champions, but lost to them? We should get the silver medal!
Doesn't work that way, Myself. US got beat by other teams and didn't advance far enough to be considered.
hey...we tied the champs, while no one else did. we played them and didn't lose, so WE DESERVE THE SILVER MEDAL! Hell, Lenny Kravitz would be waiving the US flag here instead of the Italian flag there.
come on people, let's bring Lenny home!
Lots of people always jump on the bandwagon of a winning team. At the beginning of world cups there's always asshats walking around wearing Brazil shirts even though they're no more Brazilian than my little toe.
LA 07.11.06 - 5:08 pm
Careful now. Zidane is no thug and he roundly deserved the Golden Ball.
Thug move, then. Totally classless.
Being an American, it's hard for me to get my mind around the person who wins what is essentially MVP not being on the winning team. In the Super Bowl, the QB for the losing team wouldn't win the trophy. I know it doesn't translate exactly, but that's how I see it.
Re: bandwagon. Daddy was 1st gen American, and thefore, I always support Italy in the WC, Olympus, whatever they're in (plus the US). I totally admit that I'm not some avid soccer fan, although after seeing those Italians celebrate, I might become one.
wait, a loser won the MVP tophy - and was it the same loser who head-butted the italian player?
The celebrations all over Manhattan, which judging by the pic, is where he is, were crazy but fun. The guys were hot and some were drunk and willing to "dabble" with us American sissies boys. Oh, what a time was had by all. Oh, sweet memories 
I believe he as a big penis. I heard he is from the bahamas and if that's true that island boys have big dicks then go figure!
Zidane is an amazing artist of a player ...his weakness was just to give in to the italian taunts, but the italian called him the son of a terrorist whore , knowing his mom is in the hospital.plus the italian put his hands on him first in the first half of the game and got a red card too.
and the headbut was freaking awesome ...barbaric but awesome, the guys feet didn't even touch the ground.
that's a shame...
Zidane rules, and that is all.
quick, someone give me a name of an american player...
LMAO
um there is that chick that was on like pop tart commercials
like 5 years ago ..but i don't remember her name.
the italian guy learned french phrases for the occasion, huh?
Actually Zidane used Juvuntus in italy during like 5 years or so ...therefore he speaks italian.
well guys, as much as I love being here at work, it's 5pm and I'm out. be good...or don't get caught, cause that causes problems.
Zidane rules, and that is all.
pageantgal | Homepage | 07.11.06 - 5:57 pm | #
Damn straight, girlfriend !
so ...hmmm don't have much to say to that huh?
Damn straight, girlfriend !
Common is my Baby Daddy | Homepage | 07.11.06 - 6:04 pm | #
my friend....
Zinedine Zidane is one of the best football(known as soccer in North America) players in the world and he deseved the award he got. He comes from a Algerian family so when someone calls you a "son of a terrorist whore" I can imagine you explode.
Zinedine Zidane is one of the best football(known as soccer in North America) players in the world and he deseved the award he got. He comes from a Algerian family so when someone calls you a "son of a terrorist whore" I can imagine you explode.
Youri | 07.11.06 - 6:17 pm | #
Italy played dirty, IMO.
He is a genius of futbol. Nothing but admiration for these players. But I personally hate american football, so is is like the Superbowl to me, or the Oscars to my gays.
I guess he's never watched a game in Italy or he'd know how ridiculously RACIST some fans and players are. That's to say nothing about their diving and faking injuries every 10 seconds. Disgusting.
LA - on the Zidane and the Golden Ball thing I defer to bleu | 07.11.06 - 5:54 pm |, and Youri | 07.11.06 - 6:17 pm |. I don't think the headbutt was the smartest thing to do (or 'beautiful'), but understandable. Materazzi was lucky he didn't get headbutted in the face.
The Golden Ball is given to whomever all the journalists think was the best player throughout the entire tournament. It has often been awarded to a player from a team that hasn't won the tournament.
On the bandwagon thing, I wasn't referring to you but to Lenny Kravitz. I know you're Italian, so you're fully entitled to support them, vocally. It's the idiots prancing around in Brazil shirts (who aren't even Brazilian) at the beginning of every World Cup that gets a little unnerving.
im not italian and i was rooting for them they played a good game.
Italy ALWAYS play dirty, they are notorious for it. France were totally robbed and deserved to win. Zinedane lost his head under extreme provocation, but he will go down in history as one of the greatest players ever, and no-one can take that away from him.
It's true about racism in Italian domestic football, it's rife.
There is a chant about one of the teams which goes along the lines of "pitch full of niggers, stadium full of Jews". Nice.
I believe he as a big penis. I heard he is from the bahamas and if that's true that island boys have big dicks then go figure!
Anonymous |
------------------------------------
Lenny is biracial,maybe Roxie Roker was from the islands I guess? *shrugs*
"I guess Italy won that thing where you win like some kind of Trophy for kicking or throwing some kind of ball that's white and black."
lol no wonder Americans suck at football. laughing matter at the World Cup.
There is a chant about one of the teams which goes along the lines of "pitch full of niggers, stadium full of Jews". Nice.
Common is my Baby Daddy
They also had banners saying "Aushwitz is your home. Ovens are your beds" to provoke Jews at the games....
They also had banners saying "Aushwitz is your home. Ovens are your beds" to provoke Jews at the games....
Anonymous | 07.11.06 - 7:26 pm | #
Jesus, that is really low. I have always had very little time for Italian football and I have even less now. That is all kinds of wrong.
am I the only gay man alive who doesn't think he's hot? I think he's dirty and gross.
oh god, another fair-weather fan. I personally don't care too much for soccer ( I appreciate the passion that the rest of the world has for the game but it just doesn't interest me) but since I had time, I ended up watching the final game. The Zidane head-butt was so bizarre but again, what the hell do I know? Hearing about the racism in soccer is so disturbing and the slogans that someone here said they chant are sooo wrong. I'm not black or jewish and I'm already disgusted. Imagine being one of the players and hearing shit like that..i'd go berserk.
YESSS..
Italy won the Fifa World Cup this year.
but France totally deserved to win. The only reason Italy won was because so stupid italian called a very racial name and zizou head butted him.
did u see that bitch fall on the floor when zizou head butted him???
what a freaking pussy
Who cares about soccer and who cares about lenny Krazitz.
This is an odd picture.
ZIDANE HAS DONE THE SAME THING IN ANOTHER GAME. HE ALSO HAS STOMPED ON A PLAYER ON PURPOSE AND GOT A RED CARD FOR IT. HE IS A THUG!!! HOW CONVENIENT THAT THEY ARE SAYING THE ITALIAN CALLED HIM A TERRORIST: ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN THE WORLD IS IN SUCH TURMOIL BECAUSE OF TERRORISM. GUESS WHAT...IT'S BULLSHIT! ITALY WON AND IT'S PROBABLY ZIDANE'S FAULT. AFTER WHAT HE DID, THEY DESERVE THE VICTORY!!!
There's a reason that Italy has won the world cup 4 times. They're better than france!!! Get over it! Forza Azzurri!!!!!!!
Forza Italia!!!!!!!!
He's half-Jewish...maybe he wants to be half-Italian now too...
Zidane Rules. He's the Michael Jordan of football. Everyone knows him. He's a zillionaire and has movie deals and book deal coming to him and his endorsement deals are intact. Goal 2 is already in postproduction. Yes he crashed & burned at the finals but that's better than the match fixing the Italians are running.
Ihe Italian lip readers are out in force and it seems like Materazzi put a spell on Zidane by wishing a horrible death to him and his family. Even in Italy, them's fightin' words! LOL!!!
maybe lenny's italian this week......
I am a huge fan of Zizou but what he did could have killed the Italian player; it was a shameful and vicious act. But, if racial slurs were hurled, then Materazzi had it coming; winning the WC means nothing if you jeopardize your self-respect. With Zidane reportedly giving a news conference on what really happened that night and the Italian courts handing down their judgment on the match-fixing scandal, it's gonna be an interesting couple of weeks in the football world.
And, Lenny Kravitz looks like a tool. Sorry. He's like every fair-weather fan that creeps out of the woodwork after every championship game.
He's huge and he's got a bolt through it too. My college roommate used to sleep with him
I think it's insane that people have the audacity to say that the Italians play dirty. Are you people that fucking stupid?!? It was an Italian player that got assaulted in the Final!!! Nothing justifies what Zidane did. He may be an amazing player, but he’s also an ass. He went out looking like a fool.
I'm sorry but Italy played so much better than France and deserved to win.
Which team scored TWO goals, even though one was apparently offside, not counting penalties?? France was incapable of scoring that night and thus Italy is the just winner.
The players had nothing to do with the match fixing that went on in Italy, it was managers and presidents, etc. So don't blame them.
PS. and yes, I don't care WHAT Materazzi said, Zidane made himself out to be a fool and shouldn't have gotten the MVP award.
Cannavaro on the other hand showed class and played incredibly well, everything a captain should do for his team.
man, some of you are making me ashamed of my name. but f- that. Italy played well. France played well. it's an exciting game, but nothing to get *that* excited about.
*********
as for the racism accusations: there's going to be fans like that in every country and match. there was also a racist group in germany who wants the non white players of the team. their motto is "white-not just for jerseys" and the french team has gotten shit from different people about all the "not truly french" (truly french of couse = white) on the team. it says nothing about the team or the country, just volumes about the people spreading such filth.
*******
both players involved in the fight were out of line.
still glad Italy won.
Michael I adore your blog but you missed out on something absolutely great ignoring the worldcup. Besides of the big party it was there were tons of naked hot guys.
I just read the Italians might be disqualified because Matterazzi said something like "you're the son of a terrorist-whore" and racist comments lead to qualification in the Fifa rules. That would be so much fun. Even tough I kinde like the Italian team better since I fthese pictures of Cannavaro http://www.operaprima.art.br/ima...s/
cannavaro.jpg
Well I'll go cry now becasue Jürgen Klinsmann anounced he won't stay our coach... you Americans get him at last.
Cannavaro on the other hand showed class and played incredibly well, everything a captain should do for his team.
Rose | 07.11.06 - 11:52 pm | #
amen
I think it's insane that people have the audacity to say that the Italians play dirty. Are you people that fucking stupid?!?
.................................
No we're not stupid, but we've been watching this team for many years. Italia has had a reputation for being diving cheats for years and they continued to do so even during this world cup. For example, just take a look at the awful way Australia was elimated because Grosso took a dive ten seconds before the end of the game.
I like certain of the players like gattuso and canavarro, but come on! Italy has way too many cheating thugs like Materazzi on the team.
Just watch him on youtube breaking Sorin's nose, tripping random players and trying to basically end that Ukranian kid's career...I think Shevchenko!
It's diagraceful for such a highly rated team to fall back on dirty trick in literally every game they play.
They never heard of the phrase "fair play"
I just read the Italians might be disqualified because Matterazzi said something like "you're the son of a terrorist-whore" and racist comments lead to qualification in the Fifa rules. That would be so much fun.
.................................
As much as I despise most of Italian footballers, i would rather see a replay without Matterazzi than them being stripped of the cup outright. It's not fair to good/fair-minded players like Canavarro and Buffon.
as for the racism accusations: there's going to be fans like that in every country and match. there was also a racist group in germany who wants the non white players of the team. their motto is "white-not just for jerseys" and the french team has gotten shit from different people about all the "not truly french" (truly french of couse = white) on the team. it says nothing about the team or the country, just volumes about the people spreading such filth.
*******
both players involved in the fight were out of line.
still glad Italy won.
Kat....ITALIA!
################################
The reason Spain and Italy are so much worse than other European countries is that the racism is much more widespread. It can be found from fans to players to coaches.
It seems like something that's entrenched in the culture. If racism was taken seriously in Spanish and Italian society, those kinds of people would be silenced. Instead it's the "normal" fans that are silent. This implies that racism is okay or not a big deal.
Its not the racist fans that make you look bad. It's the reaction (or lack thereof) from othe fans and the Football Associations that make your whole culture look so bad.
soccer is boring
but lenny kravitz's music is even more boring
Zidane is an amazing artist of a player ...his weakness was just to give in to the italian taunts, but the italian called him the son of a terrorist whore , knowing his mom is in the hospital.plus the italian put his hands on him first in the first half of the game and got a red card too.
and the headbut was freaking awesome ...barbaric but awesome, the guys feet didn't even touch the ground.
bleu | 07.11.06 - 5:54 pm | #
Damn straight! I was at a French party on Sunday to watch the game. I couldn't believe the headbutt, Zizou is better than that (hotter than the Italian thug too) but it was a work of art that headbutt. Materrazi got what was coming to him with those comments. And then he's trying to excuse himself by saying he doesn't know what a terrorist is....bullshit!!
Lenny likes pizza, it's a universal thing. With out Italy there would be no pizza.In the Unity Republic of France they eat snails, women have harry armpits and mustaches and look like the Yeti. All kidding aside, he's a big world cup fan. Plus he likes Italian women, like Moona Buttchella. She was hot in the Mantrix....
Yeah and Europeans claim they do not have the race problems America has .
They have it worst.
At least in America we jail your ass for attacking people based on race.
In Europe, they just win a World Cup for being racist.
If Spaibn and Italy are the most racist Europeans - is it no coincidence they happen to be the DARKEST Europeans? They know they are closer to Africa and have African blood. Some Sicilians look black.
Is that why they are racist? Self hate?
US team sucks! What did the dumb Italian guy tell Zidane anyway?
The Italian team has always played dirty game of soccer. Mark my words that clown Materazzi said something vile to Zidane. I for one was glad when Zidane butted this clown.
GO FRANCE GO! You are a class above the Italian team.
ya know, i live in europe (brussels-for those of my fellow americans who actually know where that is; and no, it's not in england), and i've watched every game of the world cup. i don't think anyone in the states realizes how horrible the italian FANS are...they are the most obnoxious people ever, with their dolce & gabbana goggles and matching over-fashioned clothes down to the socks, as well as draped in the italian flag and constantly screaming 'ITALIA!' even when the mofos just pass the fucking ball to eachother!! the french should've won, they played a much better game and actually have a little thing called CLASS. but, i think italian-americans might be even worse...their great-great-great-great grandparents came over from sicily or whatever, they don't speak the language and have never even been to italy, yet they get italian flag tattoos and pimp out their cars with the italian flag/paraphernalia. c'est triste.
France should have won, and that's the truth! Italy played a freaking dirty game and they got their way in the end. They were provoking Zidane the WHOLE GAME! They didnt't stop, until they got what they wanted, they wanted Zidane off the field. I feel bad for Zidane, it was his last game and he deserved to win. France would have won if he was there, the whole team was shocked when he was sent off. They were playing with 10 men and still better than Italy. No matter what, Zidane is still one of the best players!
It's called the World Cup.
France should have won IMO, and Zizou was crazy for the head-butt.
I personally think Fabio should have won the Golden Ball.
They also had banners saying "Aushwitz is your home. Ovens are your beds" to provoke Jews at the games....
Anonymous | 07.11.06 - 7:26 pm | #
That is a LIE they would NEVER allow that in stadiums The police would remove those banners. As far as screaming racial comments, yes that happens but there is not a lot they can do about it. Sometimes they stop the game but most of the times they don't because to much money is involved. It's sad but true.
Oh, and Italy is a dirty team they play dirty and there mean. Besides they were probably filled with illegal substances.
At least in America we jail your ass for attacking people based on race.
US ban on European Soccer |07.12.06 -2:52 am | #
Oh really? Why does the Ku Klux Clan still exist than? Every country has racism, it has nothing to do with football.
-------------------------------------
In Europe, they just win a World Cup for being racist.
US ban on European Soccer |07.12.06 -2:52 am | #
It has to be proven first that there was racism. Just because lip readers say Materazzi said "terrorist" or "son of a whore" doesn't mean he said that. I'm pretty sure they're gonne do research it. I doubt the truth will come out though because it's Materazzi word agaist Zidane's word.
Zidane is an amazing artist of a player ...his weakness was just to give in to the italian taunts, but the italian called him the son of a terrorist whore , knowing his mom is in the hospital.plus the italian put his hands on him first in the first half of the game and got a red card too.
and the headbut was freaking awesome ...barbaric but awesome, the guys feet didn't even touch the ground.
bleu | 07.11.06 - 5:54 pm | #
Absolutely agree :D
Zidane is the best!
LOVE U ZIDANE!!!
i hate when people i.e. lenny jump on the bandwagon after the team won, cause i know he wasn't rooting for italy beforehand. France was robbed
I'm not surprised he's celebrating. People in my office [I live in NY] had particular countries they were rooting for and actually got mad when they lost! Pathetic that people can get so worked up over a game, but then I guess that's the point.
I always swore Lenny Kravitz lost a lot of his hotness when he cut his dreads off. I was wrong. He could have me right now, stark naked, on a silver platter. With whipped cream and cherries on top.
Come get me Lenny.
Nobody knows what Materazzi said. He said he did not call him a terrorist, neither he insulted his mother. He just said he insulted him after being provoked. Zidane did not said anything, yet.
Zidane is going to appear tomorrow on French television to reveal what Materazzi said.
Also, Italy won fair and square, and Cannavaro should have won the Golden Ball.
A black man cheering for Italy. Ain't that some shit? Italians despise black men. Black women on the other hand is a whole other story. Any sistah who has been to Italy knows what I mean. If you want man ASAP...go there.
The BBC had an Italian lipreader (people are SERIOUS) and he said that Materazzi said "I wish a horrible death to you & your family". Zidane's mom had been taken to the hospital just that morning for an illness. I'm sure we will know what the mofo said but I've heard just about everyting in the book. The tabs in Europe are having a field day with this.
Cannavaro was the only good thing about the Italian team. I loved it though during the match how everytime Italy had the ball, the boos and whistles came out in force and when France got the ball, it was clapping & cheering. LOL!!!!!
did u see that bitch fall on the floor when zizou head butted him???
what a freaking pussy
Anonymous | 07.11.06 - 8:46 pm | #
--------------------------------------------------
------------------------------
^^ That shit was priceless
Italy bashers can give it a rest. The actions of a couple do not make the team. ZZ also has a past of bad decision making when it comes to his temper. There is plenty of fault to pass around on EVERY team in the World Cup. Italy won, France lost - those are facts. There are many who cheered for either side that had nothing to do with either country and that's what is great about the World Cup - it can bring people together. Lay off the childish bashing.
MarleneD. said "I just read the Italians might be disqualified because Matterazzi said something like "you're the son of a terrorist-whore" and racist comments lead to qualification in the Fifa rules."
They don't disqualify an entire team because of one person's actions - they take actions against that one person (fines, etc. etc.) Where did you read such garbage?
'Thank you' site for Zidane
By Sapa-AFP, 12 July 2006
Adidas, the German maker of sportswear and equipment, plans to launch the Internet site mercizidane.fr on Saturday to thank French football star Zinedine Zidane as he retires.
Fans are to write and videotape messages for the former French captain, with one lucky fan set to win the jersey worn by Zidane during the football World Cup final against Italy on Sunday.
Adidas thus confirmed its support for Zidane, a celebrated French playmaker who was sent off in disgrace in the final minutes of the match, which was his last before retirement.
"In no case does it change our relations with Zinedine Zidane, with whom we have been associated since 1996 and until 2017," said Emmanuelle Gaye, director of external relations for Adidas France.
Zidane was named the tournament?s best player despite being shown a red card and dismissed after headbutting Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest in the second period of extra-time.
The planned Internet site was designed "to invite the French to thank this master of French football for all that he has done," Gaye told AFP.
"People will be able to comment in writing and through videos." The two best videos are to be given awards, one of which is to be the Adidas jersey worn by Zidane during the final match
http://www.mybroadband.co.za/nep...?m=show&
id=3501
Since when do you have to be Italian to root for Italy? What the hell are you talking about.
That's classy. Zizou was the greatest of an entire generation and I hope he's remembered for his *many* wins, beautiful style and leadership rather than one ugly little incident.
well being jewish is just a faith(although for the most part it represents a group of people similar in national/racial identity). Perhaps his father was an Italian Jew?
tha ball is black, white . . . and gold. holy crap, u never watched eh michaelK!!
I somehow doubt an Italian Jew would celebrate Italy considering the atmosphere at this time.
Lenny Kravitz is half-Jewish ,half Bahamian....who cares if he isn't Italian.You dont have to be from the team's country to be a fan of their game.
Zidane is going to appear tomorrow on French television to reveal what Materazzi said.
Also, Italy won fair and square, and Cannavaro should have won the Golden Ball.
Lilla | 07.12.06 - 10:36 am | #
Most of the ballots for the golden ball were turned in before the headbutt. Zizou is an amazing player and deserves it, especially given the full force attack he was under during Sundays game.
Zizou has spoken:
Not since Garbo spoke have so many waited with so much anticipation the words of a celebrity.
PARIS (AP) -- French soccer star Zinedine Zidane apologized for brutally head-butting an Italian opponent in the World Cup final, saying Wednesday that he had been taunted with harsh insults about his mother and sister.
Zidane repeatedly apologized to fans -- especially to children -- in his highly awaited first comments since Sunday's match. But he said he didn't regret the abrupt, violent outburst that marked the end of his 18-year professional career.
"I tell myself that if things happened this way, it's because somewhere up there it was decided that way," the 34-year-old midfielder said in an interview on TF1 television. "And I don't regret anything that happened, I accept it."
Zidane, soft-spoken and relaxed in two television interviews late Wednesday, did not explain exactly what Italian defender Marco Materazzi said that enraged him, but he said it was about his family.
"I would rather have taken a punch in the jaw than have heard that," he told the Canal Plus channel, stressing that Materazzi's language was "very harsh," and that he repeated the insults several times.
Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack in extra-time. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground.
Zidane was sent off, reducing France to 10 men. Italy went on to win in a penalty shootout with Zidane -- an excellent penalty-taker -- in the locker room.
The act of aggression marred the end of the World Cup, with many warning it would tarnish Zidane's formidable legacy. Zidane retired after the tournament.
The France captain stressed that he felt no regret "because that would mean (Materazzi) was right to say all that."
"There was a serious provocation," said Zidane, who said he had never had tensions with Materazzi before.
"My act is not forgivable," Zidane said. "But they must also punish the true guilty party, and the guilty party is the one who provokes."
For days, sports fans around the world have been riveted by the question: What could Materazzi have said to set Zidane off in the last few moments of his career? Media from Brazil to Britain hired lip readers to try to figure it out, then came up with different answers.
Materazzi has acknowledged he insulted Zidane, without giving specifics. At nearly the same moment Zidane was on TV, excerpts from an interview that Materazzi gave were posted on an Italian paper's Web site. He denied insulting Zidane's mother.
"I didn't say anything to him about racism, religion or politics," Materazzi told the Gazzetta dello Sport. "I didn't talk about his mother either. I lost my mother when I was 15 and even now I still get emotional talking about her."
Zidane "has always been my hero," Materazzi said. "I admire him a lot."
Despite the head-butt, Zidane was awarded the Golden Ball award for best player at the World Cup -- though FIFA president Sepp Blatter has suggested Zidane could be stripped of the honor.
"The winner of the award is not decided by FIFA, but by an international commission of journalists," Blatter said in Italian newspaper La Repubblica. "That said, FIFA's executive committee has the right, and the duty, to intervene when faced with behavior contrary to the ethics of the sport."
FIFA's disciplinary committee opened an inquiry Tuesday into Zidane's behavior. His red card was not unusual: Zidane was sent off 14 times in his career at the club and international level.
Despite his temper, Zidane is better known for his sportsmanship and dancer-like style with the ball. He is a national hero for the French and a symbol of a young, multicultural France. Born to Algerian immigrants, Zidane grew up playing on concrete in an impoverished neighborhood of Marseille.
President Jacques Chirac has had only kind words for Zidane since the match -- reassuring him that France still "admires and loves him." Many in France have already pardoned Zidane. A poll published Tuesday in Le Parisien newspaper showed that 61 percent of the 802 people questioned forgave Zidane.
Zidane said many people have asked him not to retire, but he said he would not change his mind.
"I won't go back on it, at least I hope so ... (the decision) it's definitive," he said.
Zidane told TF1 that he was "going to rest, and then move on to something else."
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Zidane is going to appear tomorrow on French television to reveal what Materazzi said.
Also, Italy won fair and square, and Cannavaro should have won the Golden Ball.
Lilla | 07.12.06 - 10:36 am | #
Most of the ballots for the golden ball were turned in before the headbutt. Zizou is an amazing player and deserves it, especially given the full force attack he was under during Sundays game.
~*~ Jess ~*~ | 07.12.06 - 3:45 pm | #
He already gave the interview; I wish I still had TV5. Anywho, he apologized for the bad example that it gave kids and nothing else. He said that Materazzi insulted his mom and sister repeatedly, so he handled it. I think it's sad that Materazzi lost his own mom at a young age and would talk smack about another person's mother. There's shit talking and there is crossing the line; I think most people know how far is too far.
As far as the Golden Ball, journalist had up until midnight on Sunday (changed from 2002's half-time deadline) to make their selection. When the Italians won, Zidane was in 3rd place, so I think the award is legit.
I think it is so ironic to see Black Americans like Lenny and P Diddy celebrating the Italians. Yo -- the Italian team is knwon for its racism. The French team is truly multi-ethnic- with Africans, Caribs, and Europeans.
Italians despise black men. Have you seen Sicilians? They are blacker than me and I am a green eyed, light haired, light skin black woman.
So this race thing is a joke. And I don't know any White people in my family but we are all very light. Yet Italians darker than me will make fun of me for being black.
What is up with this race thing anyway?
By the way, if a white person can cheer for Italy, why can't a black person like Lenny or biracial anyway.
I ahve been to Italy - there are a lot of Black Italians there.
ITaly rocks!!!! best team ever!!!!!!!!
soccer all the way
"ITaly rocks!!!! best team ever!!!!!!!!
soccer all the way
Anonymous | 07.12.06 - 10:49 pm | #"
yeah ohkay, you'll be allright hopefully one day when you've had LOTS of therapy. Italy is not the best team, they play filthy football and lack basic decency and class
mmmmmm thats one hot daddy
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