Marco Materazzi: done with Zizou
The defender played a vital role in Italy’s World Cup win, but you have to be brave to mention Zinedine Zidane...
You had one season at Everton in 1998- 99. What did you learn from that?
Well, I learned what it means to be a stranger in a new country. When foreign players come to Italy, they say they need time. It was good to try that experience and it helped me.
You were sent off three times that season. Did those lessons help you as a defender?
You must always evaluate how the red cards came about. I remember one, against Darren Huckerby – there was a picture of me crying by the advertising boards with people trying to comfort me. That red card, in my opinion, was completely wrong. But you know how it works in England – when it’s a red, it’s a red. There is no excuse. It taught me something.
How did you get your ‘ Matrix’ nickname?
That was born at Inter. The club’s television channel did a survey among the fans to pick a nickname, so I became Matrix! It’s known everywhere now, and I like it.
You made your Italy debut in 2001. What did it mean to you to play for the Azzurri?
For a guy who goes to England, then returns home as he wants to represent his country – because in those years, you wouldn’t play for Italy if you weren’t in Serie A – imagine what pushed me to come back: the Azzurri dream.
What were your expectations heading into the 2006 World Cup?
It was a team built by Marcello Lippi after the 2002 World Cup, when we had a better side but couldn’t win for many reasons – not just the refereeing and what happened against South Korea in the last 16. We picked up the pieces, and in two years under Marcello our confidence grew. When a World Cup begins, Italy always start it to win.
The Calciopoli investigation was ongoing at the time. Did that galvanise the squad?
We were all together. There weren’t different colours, only blue. There weren’t Milan, Inter or Juventus players, only ‘ us’ – that matters. Calciopoli hadn’t blown up when we beat the Netherlands away in November, or when we beat Germany 4- 1 in March. Those wins were glaring examples that the team was already there. If people want to say it was thanks to Calciopoli, I don’t care, but it wasn’t because of that. Absolutely not.
You were on the bench for the opening two games of that World Cup, then Alessandro Nesta got injured. Was it hard to start that tournament out of the team?
No, because I knew my role and knew Lippi rated me, so that was enough for me. When I was warming up against the Czech Republic, though, I had a mixture of craving and fear. Fear because I played one game at the 2002 World Cup – Croatia scored and I took all the blame. Then at Euro 2004 we didn’t do well again, and Italy’s shirt is heavier than that of your club. If you play 50 club matches and have one or two bad ones, people overlook it. In the national team, there is a magnifying glass over you. When I came on against the Czechs, I was replacing my idol, a legend, the best defender ever. It wasn’t easy. But it took me only nine minutes to score. I also put in a good tackle on Pavel Nedved that charged me, and I was named the man of the match.
In the last 16 against Australia, you were sent off for a foul at 0- 0. Then Fabio Grosso won a penalty in the last minute...
Players that got sent off had to do a doping test, so I was waiting for that. As Francesco Totti stood over the penalty, it was probably the longest two or three minutes of my life. Even though I played my part in winning the World Cup, Italians say controversial things about me. If we had lost due to my red card, they would have crucified me – they would have said, ‘ He’s back to being himself again’. I prayed that Francesco would score, and his goal wiped out any of the criticism.
“PEOPLE CAN REMEMBER WHAT THEY LIKE ABOUT ME. I KNOW WHAT I AM – A WORLD CHAMPION”
You got back in the side for the semi- final against hosts Germany in Dortmund. How incredible was that game?
I think that was the real final. We were going into a stadium that was like a fort for them – a ground where they never lost, with 65,000 fans and a whole nation against us. But they had all the pressure – when they entered the field, their faces were as white as their shirts. We were charged up, ready to give sweat and blood. We attacked with everyone – Del Piero, Gilardino, Toni, Totti, Pirlo – and in extra time we hit the crossbar and a post. When Grosso finally scored, we’d been pressing them.
When did you realise you had reached the final – after Grosso’s 119th- minute goal or Alessandro Del Piero’s strike shortly after?
Alex’s goal – after that one, I went over and hugged the referee! I didn’t want Germany to restart quickly. Everyone was hugging Grosso, and people also ran to Alex. My fear was that Germany would kick off straight away. I was exhausted, so my hug with the ref was to try to slow the game down.
In the preparations for the final, was there a big focus on stopping Zidane?
We knew everything about everyone. We had a task force that told us everything about the French – even how many times they went to the bathroom. We knew about Ribery, Henry, Malouda and Zidane, but they probably knew about us, too. It was a chess match.
Then, just seven minutes into the final, you conceded a penalty...
It wasn’t a foul – the referee didn’t even give me a yellow card, which says a lot. But when the referee whistles, it’s a penalty. Luckily we were able to equalise quickly.
What do you remember about your goal?
In the morning we trained at Hertha Berlin’s old ground, which had been left like it was in the post- war years. When we were practising set- pieces, Fabio Cannavaro told me, “Look, Patrick Vieira is afraid of you, so jump against him.” Fabio gave me the tip to attack Vieira, and he was right. When I scored, I pointed to the sky for my mother. I wanted to tell her, ‘ That’s yours’. It was for her and my family.
Then, in extra time, came your clash with Zidane. No doubt you’ve been asked about it a few times since 2006 – what are your memories of what happened?
Do we still talk about it? This question must stop, or it will become a joke. Read my book – it’s all written in there.
Many people still associate you with that incident, though. How would you prefer to be remembered?
I don’t have to be remembered. Even today, people insult me and say I only played at the World Cup due to Nesta’s injury. I played and scored two goals, so people can remember what they want. I don’t answer to them and they don’t answer to me. I know what I am – a world champion. I think it’s just the envy of the people. Envy is part of their wickedness.