Materazzi to "France Football": I'm No Saint, But Neither Was Zidane

Thursday marks 20 years since Italy triumphed over France in the World Cup final, decided by a penalty shootout. The match's most unforgettable moment remains Zinedine Zidane's headbutt on Marco Materazzi, which led to the French captain's red card. On this anniversary, the legendary defender spoke in an interview with "France Football" magazine.

"My view is that I was provoked after making a defensive gesture. If Vieira had done the same thing when I scored, I wouldn't have gotten upset. I would have told him: 'Well played, you got the better of me this time, next time I'll try to be craftier.' This is football, not the Wild West," recalled the former Inter defender.

"I didn't expect him to hit me, because if I had that feeling, I might have tried to push him away with my hand. Then perhaps the referee would have sent us both off. Given that I didn't anticipate the blow, my body wasn't tensed, so it didn't cause me pain, as a headbutt can generally lead to physical consequences," Materazzi added.

The Italian admitted he chose to stay on the ground until Zidane was sent off. "I'm no saint, but neither was Zidane, because this wasn't his first incident. Remember, he was also sent off at the 1998 World Cup (editor's note: against Saudi Arabia). I respect him and thank him for everything he has done for football as a player and as a coach," Materazzi concluded.