 Zinedine Zidane says goodbye to the World Cup and to football | France coach Raymond Domenech said the referee should have given Zinedine Zidane more protection in the World Cup final defeat against Italy in Berlin. Zidane was sent off in extra-time for a headbutt on Marco Materazzi before France went on to lose on penalties. "Materrazzi is the man of the match, not Andrea Pirlo," said Domenech. "When one has to put up with what Zidane had to and the referee doesn't do anything, one understands. You can't excuse it, but you can understand it." The France coach added that Zidane regretted what had happened but refused to say if he had apologised. "To see him finish his career in this way is sad," said Domenech. "He has had a great career and a great World Cup. "Something must have happened but I don't know what. I don't think he decided out of the blue to headbutt him, that he wanted to leave the pitch, something must have happened. "The referee saw nothing, the assistant referee saw nothing and then we have the fourth official seeing the video replay and telling the referee."  | He has a hot temper; he can react
| Italy coach Marcello Lippi criticised his French counterpart and defended Materazzi, saying his players did nothing to implicate Zidane and get him sent off. "Domenech made a gesture that was not very nice, a gesture as if Materazzi had done something but there was nothing. There was no acting. There was nothing going on," the Italian said. "And you will realise that it was not Materazzi who got the attention of the referee. "It was the fourth and fifth officials looking at the video at the edge of the pitch. "We did not do anything. They saw it and they called the attention of the referee. "Materazzi was not acting. He took a blow and he was hurt." | It was really a matter of chance
French President Jacques Chirac on France's defeat | Zidane's 1998 World Cup winning team-mate Frank Leboeuf was also unable to defend the France captain's head-butt. "I cannot accept what he did," the former Chelsea defender told BBC Radio Five Live. "I think Materazzi said something very bad to him for him to react like that. "But it doesn't matter what he said - you cannot agree with what he did. I feel very ashamed - because it is not the kind of thing that this team does. "He has a hot temper; he can react, as we have seen two or three times in his career. Germany great Franz Beckenbauer said he was stunned by Zinedine Zidane's reaction. "Something must have been said to Zidane. He is actually a reserved and inoffensive person," said the former World Cup winning captain and coach. "He weakened his team. We know how sensitive the French are when they lose their captain." French President Jacques Chirac, who watched the match at Berlin's Olympiastadion, said: "I don't know what happened, why Zidane was punished. | I don't have the heart to remember the good things right now - only the disappointment at the moment
| "But I would like to express all the respect that I have for a man who represents at the same time all the most beautiful values of sport, the greatest human qualities one can imagine, and who has honoured French sport and, simply, France. "It was really a matter of chance," he added on the result. "So it's not for me to console them. I have simply to express my admiration and respect." France lost the shoot-out 5-3 after David Trezeguet hit the woodwork and Italy converted all their spot-kicks. "Zidane is the first one to shoot normally but him not being there shouldn't change it that much," Domenech explained. "We have no particular plan when it comes to penalties, it depends who is on the pitch and who feels that they want to take them. "I can't say I'm happy just to be a finalist," said Domenech who is also unhappy his side have to attend a parade on Monday on the Champs Elysees. "For Monday, if it was me who decided, we wouldn't have one. Thirty years ago we did that sort of thing but I don't think it is the correct thing to do now." | 606 VIEW | And Domenech said it was too soon to reflect on the positives of the match or the tournament. "I don't have the heart to remember the good things right now. Only the disappointment at the moment," he said. "I am deeply disappointed. We deserved the title based over the whole match. "Only victory is beautiful and we missed out just by a little thing. We can say it wasn't too bad but it is the Italians who are the world champions. "They played for the penalties because that was the only option for them." Domenech also refused to speculate on his future. He added: "I'll think about that in two or three days' time when I've had a rest and start to forget this very big disappointment. "We have the meeting of the French federation on Tuesday and the president will say what has been decided, but this is not important now, I'm not worried about that now, I'm disappointed. "It's not enough for me that we made the final - I thought we should have won. "We had Patrick Vieira who was injured, that was an important element, and then the sending off reduced us to 10 men. We had the match very much under control at that point so that was indeed sad." -------------------------------------------------------- Sent-off Zidane named best player |  Zidane's final match in professional football was the World Cup final | Zinedine Zidane won the Golden Ball award for the World Cup's best player, despite being dismissed for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the final. France captain Zidane polled 2,012 points in the vote by journalists mostly carried out at half-time. The midfielder, 34, beat Italians Fabio Cannavaro (1,977 points) and Andrea Pirlo (715 points) in the ballot. He scored a penalty early on in the final but was sent off in extra time as France went on to lose on penalties. The former international player of the year and 1998 World Cup winner announced last month that he was retiring from football after the tournament. | The vast majority of those votes were cast by journalists before the final was over and that I'm sure is why Zidane has come out top
BBC sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar | On Sunday, he put France ahead from the spot in the opening minutes but was sent off after slamming his head into Materazzi's chest during the tense second period of extra time, which ended 1-1. It was to be his last act as a professional player and, with the French missing his prowess in the ensuing penalty shootout, Italy went on to claim the World Cup title. BBC sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar was in Berlin to see the game and the vote. "The vast majority of those votes were cast by journalists before the final was over and that I'm sure is why Zidane has come out top," Farquhar told BBC Radio Five Live. | WORLD CUP BLOG Our man at the World Cup final | "But it's going to be a bit embarrassing for Fifa - the man who got sent off in the final for a completely unacceptable foul against another player is the guy who's been chosen by journalists as the man of the tournament. "The reason the journalists voted for Zidane was this great emotional thing - everybody knew it was his last tournament and the final was his last game of football ever - but most people were dumbfounded to see what he did on Sunday. "If you'd asked the 2,012 journalists - who voted for him - after the game whether they wanted to change their vote, they probably would have." Other players on the Golden Ball shortlist included Maniche (Portugal), Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy), Thierry Henry (France), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Patrick Vieira (France) and Miroslav Klose (Germany). | 606 VIEW | Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn won the prestigious award in 2002, while other previous winners include Brazilians Ronaldo (1998) and Romario ('94), Italy's Salvatore Schillaci ('90) and Argentine great Diego Maradona. Germany striker Miroslav Klose was the Golden Shoe winner as leading scorer at the World Cup with five goals. Italian Gianluigi Buffon was named the tournament's best goalkeeper. And semi-finalists Portugal won Fifa's most entertaining team award. German striker Lukas Podolski pipped Portuguese winger Ronaldo to be named the World Cup's best young player.
| ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------- Fifa denies video evidence claims |  Zidane's headbutt was missed by the referee | Fifa says video replays played no part in France captain Zinedine Zidane's dismissal in Sunday's World Cup final. Zidane was sent off for a headbutt on Italy's Marco Materazzi, which was missed by referee Horacio Elizondo. Elizondo was advised by his fourth official but France coach Raymond Domenech alleged he had only acted after seeing a video replay. "This was definitely not video evidence," Fifa spokesman Andreas Herren told BBC Five Live. "I spoke with the senior person responsible for refereeing in the Fifa administration. "He clearly told me the fourth official had seen the incident involving Zidane and had advised the referee through the headset. "The fourth official saw it as it happened on the pitch and directly advised the referee and the referee took action. Full stop. | 606 VIEW | "It appears the referee was waiting for the situation to clear up a little bit before taking action." Former Premiership referee Paul Durkin believes the officials made the right decision regardless of whether or not TV replays were used. He said: "However the decision was got, it was the correct one and had France won the World Cup on another goal from Zidane after he'd committed that offence it would have been an injustice." Fifa said although the fifth official does have a TV monitor, he is not permitted to intervene and the fourth official has no access to video replays. Zidane, who was named the winner of the Golden Ball award by Fifa for the best player in the competition, announced before the World Cup that he was quitting football when France's involvement in the tournament came to an end. It was a disappointing end to a glittering career for the Real Madrid star, who was dismissed in the 110th minute of the game, which Italy won 5-3 on penalties. Herren said Fifa would decide whether Zidane will be punished for his vicious headbutt on Materazzi. "It is up to the disciplinary committee to decide what kind of sanction that would be," he added.
|
|
Anupamaa
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Fan Fictions
Cricket
