The Hindu : Sport / Football : Thuram disagrees with Zidane

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Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006

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Thuram disagrees with Zidane

PARIS: French defender Lilian Thuram disagreed with Zinedine Zidane's head-butt in the World Cup final and said the Italian player, Marco Materazzi, who provoked him was hurting soccer.

Thuram said in an interview being published on Tuesday by the weekly Les Inrockuptibles that he understood Zidane's reaction to Materazzi for insulting his family but added that the timing was wrong.

Zidane, France's captain, rammed Materazzi in extra-time and was sent off. France lost on penalties.

Thuram said he and Zidane, who planned to retire after the final, spoke briefly after the game.

``Materazzi insulted his family. I can understand Zidane's reaction. But not on the field, not on the field,'' Thuram said. ``He made a mistake and he knows it. To be clear, I don't think it affected the result. But, well, Zidane knows that he was tricked.''

Players like Materazzi hurt the game, Thuram was quoted as saying.

``This type of player is a sickness. It shouldn't exist ... Materazzi gives a negative image to soccer,'' Thuram said. — AP

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