Though he received an infamous red card for hitting Materazzi, French fans still consider him a hero.

“It’s a very sad exit for Zidane,” said Vincent Schneider, 24, after watching the game in Paris’s Latin Quarter. “He was the major actor in the World Cup. He was under too much pressure.”

Zidane’s dismissal in extra-time for a head butt into the chest of Italy defender Marco Materazzi ensured he missed a tense penalty shootout which Italy won 5-3 and killed hopes of a fairytale ending to a glittering career.

However for his fans, from President Jacques Chirac downwards, the talismanic playmaker known as ‘Zizou’ remains a footballing icon.

Source: WCoffsite