'I didn't accept Zidane's apology', says 2006 teammate Sagnol

Willy Sagnol reveals he didn't speak to teammate Zinedine Zidane for years after his red card in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final.

Zidane, Materazzi

Source: Getty Images

Zidane was sent off for a mind-blowing incident - headbutting Italy centre-back Marco Materazzi - in extra time of the final, which was also the French legend's last professional match.

Without their captain and talisman, France went on to lose against Italy via penalty shootout.

Sagnol, France's starting right-back in the tournament, who scored his spot-kick in the shootout, has revealed he rejected Zidane's apology in the aftermath.

“After the game, in the dressing room, Zidane apologised,” said the former Bayern Munich defender to Radio Montecarlo.

“But I didn’t accept his apology.

"I didn’t want to talk to him. It wasn’t the time, there was too much disappointment.

“I went to the bathroom and smoked 250 cigarettes in 10 minutes.

"We didn’t talk for two years after that.

“In 2008, however, I got married and my wife told me to invite him.

"I called him and we had a little snack together in the morning: we had a good conversation."


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