Zidane's Soccer Headbutt Immortalized In Paris Sculpture

Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt on Italian Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final has been immortalized in a statue now on display in Paris. The five-meter (16 feet) bronze statue, by contemporary Algerian artist Adel Abdessemed, captures the moment when the French captain lunged at Materazzi’s chest during extra time. Zidane was sent off and never played international football again. France, who won the World Cup in 1998, lost the final to Italy on penalties. Zidane later said he head-butted Materazzi because of insulting comments the Italian made to him on the pitch. The statue is being exhibited in front of Paris’s Pompidou center and will remain on display until January 7 next year.