Zinedine Zidane and Marco Materazzi have often spoken about their famous altercation in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final, but the Italian has now, for the first time, recalled exactly what he told the Frenchman before the infamous headbutting incident.
Click through the gallery above to see some images of the infamous incident!
Italy won the final after beating France 5-3 on penalties, with the game ending 1-1 after extra-time.
The match was Zidane's last ever for France, in which he was sent off in extra-time for headbutting Materazzi in his chest, and the Italian has now spilled the beans on what happened in the build-up to that moment.
"Zidane's headbutt? I wasn't expecting it in that moment," he said during an Instagram Live video, as quoted by AS.
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"I was lucky enough that the whole episode took me by surprise because if I had expected something like that to happen and had been ready for it, I'm sure both of us would have ended up being sent off.
"There had been a bit of contact between us in the area. He had scored France's goal in the first half and our coach (Marcello Lippi) told me to mark him. After that first brush between us, I apologised but he reacted badly.
"After the third clash, I frowned and he retorted: 'I'll give you my shirt later'. I replied that I'd rather have his sister than his shirt."
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Zidane represented France 108 times, scoring 31 goals and helping Les Bleus win the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2000 UEFA European Championship.
Do you think Zidane should have stayed calm despite Materazzi's insult? Have your say in the comments section below.
