Tough luck guys. I don't understand why they had to throw him out of the game. It seems like they could just let the Italian give Zidane a penalty kick in the knee. Maybe this thing was "rigged"?
You have to be impressed with Zidane's form, and also the superb acting on the part of the Italian. Bravo!
Seriously, I was rooting for you guys --

Insults are part of the game , NON?

We call it talking smack, it's an intimidation tool.

Besides, everyone knows the so called "beautiful game" is full of racism, this is the reason why SOS was formed.

I remember a game where fruit was thrown and monkey noises made when an African team came onto the field.

I think Zidane's actions are unexcusable and shameful.

Simple......He checked around for field looking for the refs' positions, saw they weren't looking and took the cheap shot. He thought he could get away with it - until it was played on the stadium's large screen. Watch his reaction after getting caught. There is none.

Well "fuck your mother" Carine. Now quietly walk away and please try to shut up while you're at it.

Sigh.

Oh, A faux ZZ popping in to demonstrate that "nuanced" depth we are always lectured that the French are such masters of. But our faux ZZ is playing the part of Sr. Materazzi, a part we surmise he believes insufferable. So this faux ZZ in his replicating the insult thus invites Carine to exact the necessary and just response.

Alas, the intrepid faux ZZ has failed to leave instructions where to meet up so that he may be properly head butted.

Ah, M. faux ZZ, you are no friend of Zizou, who has owned up to what he has done. You are just a donkey who brays "F*CK". We are curious, do you kiss your sainted mother with the same mouth that you use to insult Carine?

We would ask you to walk away but we imagine it is awkward locomoting with your head so far up your ass. And judging by your post you've not much of a view either.

DGB

The guy with the identity problem,

Geez, like I have time for losers.

And by the way, me answering an "insult" here would only involve me myself and I, not an entire national sports team (of which I would be the captain), sponsors behind it and an entire country.

Zidane is neither the hero or the half-God the French media decided he would be.

France lost partly thanks to Zidane. He gave up his team mates by acting stupidely, cowardly and by forgetting his responsibilities as the captain of a national team (so French btw). Live with it.

Zidane il a frappé, Zidane il a tapé . . .

Trézéguet n'a pas joué
Quand il a joué il a raté
Il a tout fait capoter
La coupe on l'a ratée
Barthez n'a rien arrêté
C'est pourtant pas compliqué
Les sponsors sont tous fâchés . . .

Coup de boule, coup de boule
Et maintenant penalty
Attention il va tirer
1, 2, 3,
c'est raté !

Zidane's violent action was indeed both extremely stupid and disgraceful, but was it also cowardly? I do not think so. In fact, in my eyes the Italian player was the coward for using vile slurs to upset his opponement.

Stosh, your suggestion that Zidane thought he could get away with it is over the top. Calm down.

Christian,

I said his action was done cowardly because he took the Italian player by surprise. There was no face to face confrontation, which would have been a more "manly" way to deal with the problem. He first behaved as if he was letting the Italian get away with the insult, and then he came back to hit him in the chest, which would have probably prevented the Italian from responding.

I maintain, that wasn't very courageous. He could have waited for the end of the game for a real face-to-face confrontation, too.