Former Italian international defender Marco Materazzi has reopened the book of memories on one of the most controversial moments in football history: the famous headbutt he received from French star Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final. He insisted that the former captain of Les Bleus is "not a saint," while noting that he holds great respect for his legendary career as both a player and a coach.

In an exclusive interview with French magazine France Football, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of that historic match and France's preparations to face Morocco in the 2026 World Cup semi-final, Materazzi revisited the backstage details of the scene that captivated millions at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Materazzi defended his action leading up to the incident, stating, "In my opinion, I was provoked after I made a defensive move born out of experience (pulling Zidane's shirt)." He added, citing another French star: "If Patrick Vieira had done the same thing to me after my goal, I wouldn't have been angry; I would have told him: Well done, you got me. Next time I'll be smarter... That's football."

The former Inter Milan defender revealed that his failure to anticipate Zidane's violent reaction worked in his favor, explaining: "The fact that I didn't expect the headbutt was an advantage for me, because if I had sensed it, my natural reaction would have been to push his hands away, and I think the referee would have sent us both off."

Continuing on the physical impact, he said, "Since I wasn't expecting it, my body wasn't tense or rigid, so I didn't suffer a serious injury. A headbutt of that force could have caused severe physical damage."

The Italian star did not hide that he deliberately stayed on the ground to ensure the Frenchman was punished, affirming that the memories of that night are still vivid and its details are clear. He said, "I am not a saint, but Zidane is not a saint either, considering that wasn't his first violent act in his career. Remember well his red card in the 1998 World Cup against Saudi Arabia."

Despite the bitterness of past events, Materazzi was keen to end his remarks on a conciliatory note with high appreciation for the historic French playmaker, stating, "Despite everything, I respect him a lot and thank him for everything he contributed throughout his career, both as a player and later as a coach."

It is worth noting that that exceptional final ended with Italy winning on penalties (5-3) after a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time, in a match that witnessed the final chapter of Zinedine Zidane's professional career after he was sent off with a straight red card following that incident.