Former France player Willy Sagnol blamed teammate Sylvain Wiltord for drawing attention to Zinedine Zidane’s 2006 World Cup Final headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
The incident in extra time was the final chapter of Zidane’s career and saw him sent off before Italy went on to win the trophy on penalties.
Now one of the players on the field that day, Sagnol, has given a new version of events.
Former France player Willy Sagnol blamed teammate Sylvain Wiltord for drawing attention to Zinedine Zidane’s 2006 World Cup Final headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
The incident in extra time was the final chapter of Zidane’s career and saw him sent off before Italy went on to win the trophy on penalties.
Now one of the players on the field that day, Sagnol, has given a new version of events.
“If Wiltord hadn’t put the ball out of play, I don’t think the referee would’ve stopped the game and checked what was happening,” Sagnol told SFR Sport 1.
Wiltord put the ball out at the touchline and pointed the official towards the tense situation developing behind them, with Materazzi on the ground and Italy players arguing with Zidane.
Replays showed that Zizou had headbutted the defender in the chest and the decision to send him off was made in conjunction with the fourth official.
To this day, France insist the fourth official only saw the incident on a television screen.