Zinedine ZidaneSerious Infraction
Zinedine Yazid Zidane; born 23 June 1972, in Marseille, France, is regarded as one of the game's all-time greats. One of only two three-time FIFA World Player of the Year winners, the French talisman’s career accomplishments are almost unequalled. Yet he left professional football under a cloud. Towards the end of the 2006 World Cup final he was dramatically sent off for headbutting Italy's Marco Materazzi following verbal taunts and insults. Despite the incident, ‘Zizou’ was allowed to keep the Golden Ball award, and in 2010, he said that he ‘would rather die’ than apologize to the Italian. Even genius has a breaking point.
'Nobody knows if Zidane is an angel or demon. He smiles like Saint Teresa and grimaces like a serial killer.'
Jean-Louis Murat