Soccer: World asks what made Zidane lash out [video clip]

World soccer was last night asking how and why its most celebrated spectacle was so bitterly overshadowed by a moment of madness.

It is all the more galling that French superstar Zinedine Zidane - one of the finest players in a generation and voted the player of the tournament - was at the centre of the incident that marred the World Cup final.

Minutes from the end of Italy vs France, an estimated one billion people watched their televisions in shock as Zidane floored Italian defender Marco Materazzi with a head butt to the chest.

>> Picture gallery of the headbutt

>> Video of the headbutt

He was sent off and the game, tied at 1-1 at that stage, went to a penalty shoot-out that Italy won.

But Italy's fourth victory since the competition began in 1930 has become secondary to the sub-plot behind the drama: why did Zidane do it?

The man himself has so far refused to speak to media, although one British newspaper suggested Materazzi called him a "terrorist".

Materazzi deflected questions from a mob of journalists after the game. But an Italian news agency later reported him saying: "It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist. I'm ignorant. I don't even know what the word means."

France coach Raymond Domenech blamed Materazzi for provoking Zidane.

"I don't know what Materazzi said to Zidane. All I know is that the man of the match is not [Andrea] Pirlo, it's Materazzi," he said.

"He got the equaliser and got Zidane sent off."

In London, the Guardian newspaper reported suggestions that Materazzi had called Zidane, whose parents were from North Africa, "a terrorist".

Many were leaping to Zidane's defence last night. David Trezeguet, who missed a penalty for France, said Zidane could only be provoked by "unspeakable rudeness".

Former France coach Michel Hidalgo said: "When you know him, you know that they must have been very cruel words for him to react like that."

It is a sad end to the career of one of the greatest footballers the world has seen. The 34-year-old came out of retirement to play for his country and had said he would leave the game altogether after the final.

His performances and the importance of his last game meant many were predicting a glorious farewell.

It also came at the end of a tournament that, instead of showcasing the globe's most beautiful game, has spotlighted a shameful catalogue of phony grimaces of pain and Hollywood dives as players feigned one injury after another and tried to cheat an advantage.

The fallout from the incident was spreading last night. Franz Beckenbauer, the World Cup chief organiser, agreed Materazzi must have insulted Zidane to cause such a reaction.

"Something must have been said to Zidane. He is actually a reserved and inoffensive person," he said.

Even French President Jacques Chirac got involved. "I would like to express all the respect that I have for a man who represents at the same time all the most beautiful values of sport, the greatest human qualities one can imagine, and who has honoured French sport and, simply, France."

Italy coach Marcello Lippi said it was "really bizarre that he has to finish his career this way".

Whatever happened, it cannot excuse the brutal reaction of a player who has graced football with an ability and style unlikely to be seen for many years.

"It is sad to have a great player leave the pitch that way," said Domenech.

- AGENCIES