LEIPZIG, Germany (Reuters) – France take on the Netherlands on Friday at Leipzig Stadium, a place where Zinedine Zidane famously left his mark in 2006 – although the French team have been spared a glimpse of the dented dressing-room door in question.
Most football fans will remember the 2006 World Cup for French captain Zidane headbutting Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the chest and being sent off in the final, which Italy went on to win on penalties.
While that was the last act of Zidane’s international career, it wasn’t his first rush of blood to the head at that tournament.
Leipzig Stadium holds a permanent reminder of an incident in the group stage, where France struggled early on. They drew 0-0 with Switzerland in Stuttgart in their opener, before arriving in Leipzig.
South Korea, managed by Dutchman Dick Advocaat, were their opponents, and while Thierry Henry put France in front, a late Park Ji-sung goal condemned the French to another draw, and in the final minutes Zidane was booked.
It was his second yellow card of the tournament, meaning he would miss the final group game, and if France failed to progress, that game in Leipzig would have been his final display in a French shirt.
The frustration boiled over, and when Zidane arrived back at the dressing room he launched a kick at the metal door.
The resulting dent is still there and is even an attraction on the Leipzig Stadium tour – two clear stud marks embedded in the metal, with the words “A souvenir from Z” beside it.
The Dutch will use that dressing room on Friday. But neither they nor the French will get to see Zidane’s heartfelt footwork, as the door has been temporarily covered in UEFA signage for the tournament.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
