Zidane: ‘I’m not proud’ of Materazzi headbutt but have no regrets

France coach Zinedine Zidane says he has no regrets over the infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final, although he admits he is not proud of the incident.

Zidane was sent off in extra time of his final match as a professional footballer after headbutting Italy defender Materazzi in the chest.

The incident remains one of the most memorable moments of Zidane’s illustrious career, with Italy eventually winning the final on penalties in Berlin.

Zidane reflects on infamous 2006 incident

Speaking ahead of France’s UEFA Nations League meeting with Italy at the Stade de France, Zidane said images of the incident continue to follow him.

“Those images will always be there to remind me of what happened in 2006, because they are constantly being shown.”

The former Real Madrid coach said he prefers to focus on the positive moments of his playing career rather than allow the incident to define his legacy.

“Fortunately, that wasn’t the only thing I did; there were other, more beautiful things, so I try to think more about the positive aspects.”

“I have no regrets, because it was part of my career,” he added, revealing that he has not spoken to Materazzi since the night of the World Cup final.

‘I’m not proud of what happened’

Zidane, who was 34 at the time of the incident, admitted that the World Cup final was an extremely difficult moment because he believed it marked the end of his career.

“In 2006, I didn’t know I was going to become a coach. I thought it was the end of everything, so it was very difficult for me.”

“I’m not proud of what happened. I’ve said that time and time again, but it’s part of my career; you can’t just do great things,” he stressed.

Zidane, 54, took charge of France in late July, succeeding former team-mate Didier Deschamps, who stepped down after 14 years as Les Bleus coach.

Zidane returns to Stade de France

The former France midfielder won his first two Nations League matches away from home, with France recording 1-0 victories over Turkey and Belgium.

Friday’s meeting with Italy will mark Zidane’s return to the Stade de France, a venue where he remains a hugely significant figure for French supporters.

The match is expected to be played in front of around 80,000 spectators at the national stadium north of Paris.

“It will be a very emotional moment,” Zidane said, recalling that his last appearance at the Stade de France as a player came in a 2006 friendly against Mexico.