Horacio Elizondo, the referee for the 2006 World Cup final between Italy and France, has provided new details concerning the match’s most scrutinized moment: the incident involving Zinedine Zidane and Marco Materazzi. In that final, Italy defeated France on penalties to secure the world championship title. The controversy centers on the moment Zidane received a red card following a headbutt delivered to Materazzi, just ten minutes before the conclusion of extra time, marking the final match of Zidane’s playing career.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Argentine referee revealed that at the time the contact occurred, he did not witness the impact between the two players. Elizondo recounted his immediate actions following the incident. He stated, “I saw that Materazzi was not getting up, so I stopped the game and started running towards him.
Along the way, I asked the assistants: ‘What happened?’. Both told me they hadn’t seen anything.”
According to his account, Elizondo emphasized that he was the ultimate authority on the field. His testimony shifts the focus from the visible play to the procedural steps taken by the officiating crew immediately after the confrontation.
The revelation challenges the perception of direct observation by the central referee regarding the specific contact that led to the sending-off red card for Zidane. This statement provides a new perspective on the highly dramatic and consequential event in football history.
Topics: #zidane #red #card
