Materazzi compares Zidane's headbutt to the death of Jesus De Miguel

A few hours before the Italy‑France showdown in the Nations League, Marco Materazzi told the Italian press that Zinédine Zidane's headbutt on him in 2006 could have been fatal, comparing it to the recent death of Jesus De Miguel, which occurred on November 3.

The subject of Zinédine Zidane's headbutt on Marco Materazzi in 2006 resurfaced in the news ahead of the Italy‑France match, as it did after the first leg which ended 1‑1. Materazzi, a former Italian defender, gave an interview to react.

The parallel with the death of Jesus De Miguel

He said he relived the incident in a traumatic way after the death of Jesus De Miguel, which occurred on November 3, following a violent clash with the opposing goalkeeper Jesus Owono. He acknowledged that the parallel was bold and misplaced, the contexts of the two events being very different.

Zinédine Zidane then, after a provocative remark from Materazzi about his sister, delivered a headbutt to the Italian's chest during the 2006 World Cup final, which led to his dismissal. Zidane said last October that he had no regrets, viewing the episode as part of his career and not being proud of what had happened.

Materazzi does not understand this stance. He said that he would, in Zidane's place, have said that night or the next day: “I made a mistake, but I was provoked; judge for yourselves, I apologise,” believing that Zidane would then have been seen as a great gentleman and himself as the “usual fool.” He added that the story would have ended there if everyone had seen things the same way.

Materazzi realised that he could have feared for his life that night. He explained that Jesus De Miguel's death led him to thank God that nothing serious had happened to him, noting that in the goalkeeper’s case it was an involuntary homicide resulting from a play. He wondered: “what if it had happened to me?”

The 2006 world champion still criticises Zidane for never apologising to him. Materazzi recalled that the opportunity had arisen, calling it a fact.

He recounted that in November 2010, at the Meliá hotel in Milan, the day before a Milan‑Real match, he had run into Zidane parking his car, hesitated, then after Zidane approached him and shook his hand, Zidane told him that such things happen and that it was in the past. Zidane would later claim that Materazzi had taken him for a simple supporter.

Despite this, Materazzi praises Zidane's work on the bench, stating that he likes everything about his approach. He notes that Zidane has worked in top‑level dressing rooms, knows the players, understands champions, gives them space and creates empathy, which is essential for winning. He adds that Zidane has achieved a lot and, when coaching players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale, Marcelo or Modrić, one should put his experience at the service of the team rather than trying to teach Cristiano how to take free kicks, as Rafael Benítez once did.