Everyone is probably aware by now that Italy won the World Cup on Sunday, defeating France 5-3 in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw. I thought it was a good game. France looked strong at the beginning, and they scored first off the Zidane penalty shot. I didn't think the foul in the box was a good call. It looked to me like the French player (not Zidane, but I don't recall who) took a dive. Then Italy responded in the 19th minute with a great header. Italy scored again but was called offside. Zidane almost gave France the lead in overtime with a headball, but Buffon made a fantastic one-handed save. You could tell Zidane thought it was going in, and maybe that helps explain what happened next.
Unless you haven't been paying any attention to sports the past few days, you've probably seen Zidane headbutting Materazzi. I think it's a huge shame that someone like Zidane would end his career in this fashion. Imagine if someone like Peyton Manning was in the playoffs, and had announced that he would retire when it was over. They make it to the Super Bowl, and while his team is deadlocked in a close game, Peyton walk over and ends his career by kicking someone on the opposing team in the groin. That's about the equivalent of what Zidane did. If FIFA had a Hall of Fame for players, Zidane would be going in it. That's how good of a player he has been, and that's why what he did was so stupid. He had a great legacy, but this is what people are going to remember.
Anyway, Italia won, which was fine with me because I was rooting for them.
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