‘No Regrets’ - Zidane Faces Italy Again 20 Years After Infamous World Cup Final Headbutt

Twenty years after he was sent off in the 2006 World Cup final, Zinedine Zidane will face Italy again on today, this time in a suit as France's coach.

In extra time of that final in Berlin, Zidane headbutted Italy defender Marco Materazzi in the chest, sending him flying backward. It ended his career with a red card. Two decades on, it is still one of football's most talked-about moments.

"The images always remind me of it, they're shown over and over again," Zidane said at a news conference on Thursday. "But luckily that's not all I ever did and there are other [images] that are nicer."

He still does not regret it. "They're not regrets. It's part of my career. I'm not proud of what happened, but you can't always do just good things," he said. "We're all on a journey in life, where [sometimes] you do things that aren't the best. But now it's about what comes next."

Zidane never played again after that final and thought it would be his last mark on French football. "Yes, because I didn't know I was going to become coach. So for me it was the end, and I can say things were very, very difficult," he said. "I'm ready to come back and coach the France team, I want to give everything I have."

He has not spoken to Materazzi since. "No," Zidane said firmly. "Not at all."

Zinedine Zidane's headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final remains an iconic image.

Zidane has won both his away games so far, 1-0 against Turkiye and 1-0 against Belgium. Friday's UEFA Nations League game at the Stade de France is his first at home in charge of Les Bleus. "It's a very emotional moment," he said. "We're ready for this third match, we've prepared well, there are no particular problems. We're going to try to win in front of our fans."

Ousmane Dembele is set to captain France again because Kylian Mbappe is injured.

Italy are rebuilding under returning coach Roberto Mancini. His reign began with a 2-0 home loss to Belgium, but there is some hope after a 4-1 win away at Turkiye. Mancini called up 33 players, then lost forward Giacomo Raspadori to injury, and has left nine players at home: Honest Ahanor, Nicolo Cambiaghi, Diego Coppola, Daniele Ghilardi, Samuele Inacio, Eddy Kouadio, Rolando Mandragora, Massimo Pessina and Alessandro Romano.

The Italian Football Federation said the move is meant to help manage preparations for Monday's game against Turkey in Bologna. 

"As already happened during the trip to Bursa [vs. Türkiye)] with the aim of better managing preparations for the match against Turkey scheduled for Monday in Bologna, coach Roberto Mancini has decided not to send his entire squad to France," it said.