World Cup History: A tale of two headbutts at World Cup 2006

This FIFA World Cup History feature is part of our build-up to the 2014 edition, which will chart the most special moments from previous tournaments. Today we have a look at the 2006 World Cup. CLICK HERE for the full series.

There was not just one headbutt in 2006 — there were two — one which hardly mattered at the end of World Cup 2006, and one which shook the world of football.

Yes, that’s right. No one seems to remember Luis Figo touching his forehead to Mark van Bommel’s chin — and it was hardly a loving gesture. However, the Portuguese saw just yellow for the foul instead of a straight red. Just like tricking so many defenders with his deft footwork, Figo had got the better of referee Valentin Ivanov — who had clearly lost control of match, setting a FIFA tournament record of showing 16 yellow cards and four reds.

There was no such escape for Zinedine Zidane, who even made a violent act look graceful when he moved back, his bald smooth head bobbing backward like a stone on a catapult before surging forward in a force that knocked down the much taller and bigger Marco Materazzi. It was his last act in international football and it left an indelible mark on World Cup history.

Much before the final and even before the round of 16 Battle of Nuremberg between the Netherlands and Portugal, referees seemed quite trigger happy. So trigger happy that Graham Poll, who hoped he would officiate in the final, gave Josip Simunic three yellow cards in a group match between Croatia and Australia. Poll had already booked Simunic in the 61st minute and flashed yellow in the 90th minute again — forgetting that two yellows are equal to red in football. After the game though, Simunic pushed Poll again. It looked as if Poll suddenly remembered his earlier folly, saw the opportunity to make it right and gave a post-match third yellow to Simunic and a subsequent red.

Poll later said that he “incorrectly noted down the name of the Australia number three Craig Moore when booking Simunic for the second time and failed to realise his error”. Simunic is Australia-born and speaks English with an Aussie twang — just reason enough to feel sorry for Poll.

Ivanov was not spared any such pity. In fact, after seeing the Portugal vs Netherlands match turn into a fist-fight (between two teams who are not known for that), FIFA chief Sepp Blatter said that the referee should have given himself a yellow card too (he later said sorry for his statement but the damage was done).

Both France and Italy reached the final in controversial circumstances — the former having to contend with a shock draw against Korea Republic before a debatable decision to award Thierry Henry a foul helped them past Spain. Henry went down to what looked like a soft challenge from Carles Puyol, clutching his face in the process — the resulting freekick giving France a 2-1 lead in a match which ended 3-1 in their favour.

Italy’s slice of luck came against Australia in the second round — a slice which most will say they deserved. Luis Medina Cantalejo awarded a penalty to the Azzuri which looked like a decision made to correct all the horrible ones he made against Italy in their loss to South Korea in the 2002 World Cup. Francesco Totti, who was sent off by Cantalejo in the game against South Korea, converted the spot-kick and Italy were in the quarters.

Italy vs France in the final was an entertaining affair — Zidane scoring a sublime penalty to give France the lead after Florent Malouda’s tumble in the box (again, went down softly) before Materazzi scored the equaliser to take the game to extra-time. Little did the tall Italian defender know that Zidane would punish him for that goal and some expletives with a headbutt which gave football one its most immortal scenes — it’s most graceful player standing in defiance, realisation stuck on his face but too proud to regret it — with Materazzi lying in agony on the pitch, shocked at what flawed genius felt like.

Italy won the penalty shootout after David Trezeguet’s miss. There was no doubt that Zidane being part of the shootout would’ve changed the equation. The legend may have lost the cup, but he won the battle of memories — think of 2006 and you think of Zidane, not Italy. That is his real victory, and no one cares how it came.

World Cup 2006 Hosts: Germany Champions: Italy (5-3 on penalties, 1-1 after full-time) Top-scorer: Miroslav Klose (5 goals - Germany)

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