"What if the same thing happened to me?": Materazzi recalls Zidane's headbutt after the death of the Tenerife striker

Hours before the clash between Italy and France, scheduled for this Thursday evening in the UEFA Nations League, Marco Materazzi reopened the file on the famous incident that brought him together with Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final, invoking the recent death of Jesus de Miguel, the Spanish Tenerife striker, in a comparison that sparked controversy.

The former Italian defender revisited Zidane's "headbutt" on him during the 2006 World Cup final in an interview with "La Gazzetta dello Sport", admitting that he now saw the moment in a different light following the death of Jesus de Miguel on 3 November. De Miguel died after a violent collision with opposing goalkeeper Jesus Owono during one of his matches.

Materazzi raised the subject again before Italy face France, having already touched on it in the build-up to the first leg, which ended 1-1.

Zidane drove his head into Materazzi's chest in that 2006 final after the Italian defender provoked him with a comment about his sister. The French star was sent off and walked past the trophy in one of football's most infamous moments.

Reflecting on how de Miguel's death changed his view of the final, as reported by the French network RMC, Materazzi said: "Jesus de Miguel's death made me thank God that nothing serious happened to me. In the case of this goalkeeper, we are talking about involuntary manslaughter as a result of a challenge during play... And what if the same thing had happened to me?".

His words suggest he now sees Zidane's blow from a different angle, having realised, by his own account, that a violent incident on the pitch could have ended far worse.

Zidane spoke about the incident last October: "I feel no regret, because it is part of my career. I am not proud of what happened".

Materazzi doesn't buy that stance. He reckons Zidane could have handled things another way.

"Today, if I were in Zidane's place, I would have said what I said that night 20 years ago or the following day: I made a mistake, but I was provoked; judge for yourselves what happened, and I offer my apologies", he said.

"He would have come across as a great man, while I would have looked like the usual fool who pushed him to lose his temper in my own way. He would have come out of it better, but everyone has their own way of seeing things. In any case, the story would have ended there", he added.

The defender also hit out at Zidane again for never apologising to him face to face, pointing to a chance meeting in Milan in 2010.

"The opportunity arose, and that is a fact. In November 2010, at the Melia Hotel in Milan, on the eve of the match between Milan and Real Madrid, I came out of the hotel after greeting Mourinho, and Zidane was parking his car at the back", he explained.

"When he saw me, he hesitated, he even seemed to want to turn back, but I went towards him and shook his hand and said to him: I am happy that we met here, away from people's eyes", he continued.

Zidane, according to Materazzi, replied at the time: "Don't worry, these things happen, it is now in the past".

"It is a shame that he later went back on his words, when he said that he thought I was just an ordinary fan", he concluded with regret.

For all his criticism of Zidane over 2006, Materazzi had nothing but admiration for what the Frenchman achieved in the dugout, singling out his man-management.

"I like everything about his way. He lived inside top-level dressing rooms, he knows the players, he understands the stars, he gives them space and creates a state of empathy, and this is essential to achieving victory", he said.

"And in fact, he has won a great deal. When you coach Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale, Marcelo and Modric, if you are smart, you know that you only have to put your experience at the service of the team", he added.

He signed off with a nod to Rafael Benitez's spell at Real Madrid: "You should by no means try to teach Cristiano how to take free kicks, as (Rafael) Benitez did".