In an interview with The Guardian, the legend Gianluigi Buffon revisited Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt on Marco Materazzi during the France-Italy match in the 2006 World Cup final.
Gianluigi Buffon opens up. In an interview with The Guardian, the legendary Italian goalkeeper (176 caps) acknowledged his role in the World Cup final between France and Italy, specifically addressing Zinedine Zidane’s famous headbutt towards Marco Materazzi.
“If this meeting on July 9, 2006 in Berlin still remains a painful memory for many French fans today, marked by the cruel defeat of the Blues on penalties, the Italian goalkeeper, retired since 2023, admitted feeling a certain sense of guilt. He believes he contributed to the end of the career of the former French number 10 – who was expected to succeed Didier Deschamps as the new coach – by reporting the incident to the referee.”
“It’s my fault. I was about 15 meters away and I heard the dull noise (of the gesture). If he had done that to anyone else, that person would have been knocked out. The linesman didn’t see it. The only one who witnessed it was me. So I rushed to the referee and his assistant to get their attention. Materazzi was on the ground. Zidane was motionless, I was protesting and the match was interrupted,” humorously confessed the 48-year-old former goalkeeper, before explaining the reasons for his discomfort with this iconic moment.
“I was sorry that it ended like this for him,” admitted Gianluigi Buffon about Zinedine Zidane’s red card in the 2006 World Cup final.
“In those days, video assistance did not exist yet, but referees were still watching the televised images to review the action, which led to his direct expulsion… I was torn and upset between contrasting emotions. I knew it was Zidane’s last match and that he was one of the greatest and most elegant players in the history of football. I was sorry that it ended like this for him,” he added. This decision had far-reaching consequences, as it marked the end of the international career of the 1998 Ballon d’Or winner.
Since that episode that will remain etched in memories, the two men have crossed paths many times without ever discussing the subject. Buffon concluded, “We have never talked about it. Obviously, we have seen each other several times and I believe we have a good relationship based on mutual trust. I never wanted to bring up this subject out of respect. He is a champion who has won everything, but I believe deep down it will always be a painful situation for him, which is why I did not want to remind him of it.”
On his part, “Zizou” had mentioned this moment on his 50th birthday in 2022, acknowledging some regrets while integrating it into his journey: “It’s tough but it’s my career, the story of my life.” No hard feelings.
