[j6ppc]

Disgraced Zidane wins best player award

10 July 2006

The 34-year-old, playing in his last match before retirement, was shown the red card in extra time for butting Italy's Marco Materazzi.

The voting for the award was carried out at half-time in the final. France lost the match on penalties.

Zidane, 34, topped the vote among journalists covering the event. He collected 2,012 points, ahead of Italian pair Fabio Cannavaro (1,977) and Andrea Pirlo (715).

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Zidane's always known how to bring the pain
National Post
Published: Monday, July 10, 2006

Zinedine Zidane's sending-off in yesterday's World Cup final is the latest in several incidents that showed the darker side of the French team's inspirational playmaker:

1998 The first round World Cup match against Saudi Arabia saw Zidane's worst side come out as he stamped on Saudi captain Fuad Amin in the 70th minute and was immediately sent-off. He returned from a two-match suspension and ultimately redeemed himself with two goals in the 3-0 win in the final over Brazil.

2000 Zidane had already been sent off for Juventus in the Champions League against Deportivo La Coruna in September but it was against Hamburg in October that he really saw red. He received his second successive red card of that competition when he head butted Jochen Kientz while they fought on the ground. He received a five match ban for that indiscretion.

2006 His farewell match seemed set for a fairytale ending having inspired France to the final after a shaky start. It looked even more set fair when he slotted home a seventh minute penalty to give them the lead. But the red mist descended again and the fairytale transformed into one of horror as he wheeled round on Marco Materazzi after the Italian appeared to say something to him and headbutted him in the chest. There was no option but for referee Horacio Elizondo to red card him.