這是一屆少了很多懸念、幾乎沒有什么冷門“黑馬”的世界杯，但你卻不能不承認它的戲劇性。對于齊達內在世界杯決賽中近乎戲劇性的抱憾收場，全世界球迷都在疑惑，究竟什么樣的言語挑釁，讓齊達內在賽場上無所顧忌頂翻馬特拉齊？法國當地時間7月12日晚間，齊達內接受法國國家電視臺Canal+采訪時，首度公開自己那著名“一撞”的緣由——馬特拉齊侮辱了他的母親及姐姐。對于“頭擊”行為，齊達內表示他深感抱歉但永不后悔。而關于齊馬之間的口角，齊達內不愿詳細透露具體細節。

In this photo made available by Canal Plus, French soccer star Zinedine Zidane, poses prior to a television interview, in Paris, Wednesday, July 12, 2006. Zinedine Zidane apologized for his violent conduct during the World Cup final in Berlin, Germany.[AP] An apology, but no regrets and no detailed explanation on what set him off. That's where French soccer star Zinedine Zidane left things Wednesday during widely broadcast television interviews that attempted to decipher his ugly head-butting of an Italian opponent during the World Cup final. He did say he was spurred by cruel insults to his mother and sister. But the exact exchange between France's captain and Marco Materazzi remains a mystery. Zidane never was specific about what enraged him. So, for the moment, the words stay between them. "I would rather have taken a punch in the jaw than have heard that ," he told the Canal-Plus television network, stressing that Materazzi's language was "very harsh," and that he uttered the insults several times. In his first public comments since Sunday's match, Zidane repeatedly apologized to fans, especially to children. But he said he didn't regret the abrupt, violent outburst that marked the end of his illustrious 18-year professional career. "I tell myself that if things happened this way, it's because somewhere up there it was decided that way ," the 34-year-old midfielder said in an interview on TF1 television. "And I don't regret anything that happened, I accept it." Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack in extra-time. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground. Zidane was sent off, reducing France to 10 men. Italy went on to win in a penalty shootout with Zidane in the locker room. The act of aggression marred the end of the World Cup, with many warning it would tarnish the legacy of Zidane, who retired after the tournament. Wednesday, he stressed he felt no regret "because that would mean (Materazzi) was right to say all that." "There was a serious provocation," Zidane said. "My act is not forgivable. But they must also punish the true guilty party, and the guilty party is the one who provokes." (Agencies)

Vocabulary:

set him off : 讓他暴怒 head-butting: 用頭撞人，請參看新聞熱詞：齊達內的“頭擊” illustrious: shining, outstanding（杰出的，卓越的） if things happened this way, it's because somewhere up there it was decided that way: 如果事情這樣發生了，那么它就是注定的，是命運這樣安排和決定的。 extra-time: 加時賽 penalty shootout: 點球大戰 （英語點津陳蓓編輯）