French press doesn’t forgive Zinedine Zidane
France is not so forgiving as it initially seems. The press crucifies Zizou for his gesture of hitting Materazzi in the final of the World Cup.
“Les Bleus’ broken dream,” headlined the Figaro daily in a merciless editorial, saying Zidane’s “final and odious headbutt” had tarnished the final match of a “magical” player.
“We were left speechless by such stupidity,” the paper wrote - though it said it had to “thank Zinedine Zidane all the same for all the kicks of pure beauty he has given us over more than 100 matches with Les Bleus.”
Most papers were torn between shock and disbelief at Zidane’s outburst - and gratitude both for France’s soaring performance over the past three weeks and for Zidane’s own inspirational career.
“Bravo all the same,” wrote L’Humanité. “Zizou, thank you, thank you for everything.”
“Thank you!” blared the front page of Le Parisien. But the paper could not contain its bittermess at the dashed hopes of the French squad, and Zidane’s fateful outburst. “How cruel to stumble so close to the goal,” it wrote. “This exit from football is unworthy of him”.