Oh Zizou, qu'avez-vous fait ?

It's always confusing watching a match on TV when there is commotion on the pitch. If it happens against the run of play, it's worse. Usually one not privy to the hoo-ha until the TV cameramen start hustling. One is blur till the opportunely-captured video footage is rewound and played for all across the world to see.

No one in TV land (all 2 billion of us) knew what was up till the cameras trained on Buffy, Buffon I mean, calling on the ref for action. Next to Buffet, Buffon I mean, was Materazzi rolling on the grass like he's an itchy dog in need of a good scratch. The referee (who looked like an older Zidane with hair) promptly stopped the game. He asked questions. Players protested. The magic of instant replay then showed the unbelievable, the impossible, the borderline-loony tunes action of one Zinedine Zidane.

Zizou head butted Matty. It looked forceful and vicious. The ref had a word with his linesman (this is like 2 minutes into the protest) and the next thing we know, he's waving the red card at Zidane. And The Monk knows he deserved it, trudging off towards the showers. He looked sad. Upset and ashamed in the realisation of his actions, like a thief who's been caught with the goods.The shot of him disappearing down the towel had him juxtaposed alongside the Jules Rimmet trophy. Sweet irony, if France won.

I lost some respect for Zidane that day. Just like I did for Luis Figo, for the same head bang on a Dutch player earlier in the competition. Middle age drove them to lunacy? Maybe. Maybe they were just pissed.

Today, 11 July, it emerged that Materazzi may have said something foul to Zizou before the apparent retaliation. Perhaps this rude Italian deserved the shove. The drama of the world cup continues.

A win nonetheless for Italy. Sorry France. Sorry French coach. Sorry Trezeguet. My money was on you.