Zinedine Zidane Revealed He's Not Proud Of The Moment That Ended His Career

Nearly 16 years after his career ended in the most dramatic fashion possible, Zinedine Zidane has revealed that he's not proud of his sending off in the World Cup final.

Over a decade and a half later and few moments in any sport have been as sensational or iconic as the way that Zidane's career came to an end.

Zidane then scored the opening goal in the final, with a Panenka'd penalty against Gianluigi Buffon, showing all the audacity and deft ability that he'd shown throughout his career.

"I'm not at all proud of what I did, but it's part of my past," the three times Champions League winning manager told Telefoot in a recent interview.

The two players had clashed throughout the match, with Materazzi at the centre of the whole game, giving away the penalty that Zizou scored and then equalising for Italy.

"There had been a bit of contact between us in the area. He had scored France's goal in the first half and our coach [Marcello Lippi] told me to mark him. After that first brush between us, I apologised but he reacted badly," the Italian explained.

"After the third clash, I frowned and he retorted: 'I'll give you my shirt later'. I replied that I'd rather have his sister than his shirt."

Many might think the decision was 'madness' but the player pretty much thinks he had no other option.

"I had a second or two to think about how to take it. I had in front of me a goalkeeper who knows me really well so I had to think of something," the 49-year-old said as part of a programme celebrating him on his upcoming 50th birthday.

"In that effort, there was certainly technique, I don’t think there was madness. You can miss a penalty but in that moment it is what I had to do."