French national team coach Zinedine Zidane expressed that he has no regrets about his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final. The incident occurred 20 years ago and Zidane still recalls it vividly. He mentioned that the images of the headbutt will always be there to remind him of what happened, but he tries to focus on the positives of his career. Zidane made these comments during a press conference at the Stade de France, where France will host Italy in a UEFA Nations League match.
Zidane's headbutt on Materazzi led to him being sent off in extra time, and France ultimately lost the match on penalties. The coach hasn't spoken to Materazzi since the incident and doesn't plan to dwell on it. He stated that he wasn't proud of what happened but acknowledged it as part of his career. Zidane was appointed as the France coach in late July, succeeding Didier Deschamps who stepped down after 14 years in charge.
Zidane's first two matches as France coach were away from home, with Les Bleus winning 1-0 in Turkey and Belgium in the Nations League. The upcoming match against Italy will be his first home game as coach, and he is expected to play in front of a sell-out crowd of close to 80,000 at the Stade de France. The coach expressed that it will be an emotional experience for him, as his last appearance at the Stade de France was as a player in a friendly against Mexico in 2006.
France will be without captain Kylian Mbappe, who suffered a knee injury while scoring the winning goal in Turkey last week. Mbappe returned to his club Real Madrid for further treatment. Meanwhile, France forward Ousmane Dembele insisted that there is no tension between him and Mbappe after comments made by both players in the media about the Ballon d'Or. Dembele dismissed the matter as a "social media squabble" and stated that they have talked about it.
Dembele and Mbappe have been in the news recently due to their comments about the Ballon d'Or. Mbappe said that Dembele "was always seen as a talented player, while I was always seen as the chosen one". Dembele responded by saying that he has worked hard to achieve his goals and was rewarded with the Ballon d'Or last year. The two players seem to have put the issue behind them, with Dembele stating that they sit next to each other at the dinner table.
Zidane's return to the Stade de France as coach will be an emotional experience for him, given his iconic status in France. The coach has a lot of experience playing at the stadium and is expected to make a good impression in his first home game. Les Bleus will look to continue their winning momentum in the Nations League, having won their last two matches.
The match against Italy will be a significant test for Zidane's France team, and the coach will look to make a positive impact in front of his home crowd. The incident with Materazzi will likely be on the minds of many fans, but Zidane seems focused on moving forward and achieving success as a coach.
Key points
- Zidane has no regrets about his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final.
- France coach Zinedine Zidane will face Italy in his first home game as coach at the Stade de France.
- France will be without captain Kylian Mbappe due to a knee injury.
