Eight years after their triumph in Paris, the French found themselves back in another final. This one, however, would end in a very different manner.
Zinedine Zidane, hero of the 1998 run, was aging and had publicly declared that the match in Berlin that July evening would be his last, after earlier reversing a pledge of retirement.
As was the case in the Euro 2000 final, France’s opponent was Italy, and the match got interesting early when Zidane stepped up to the penalty spot after teammate Florent Malouda was brought down. With a nonchalant chip, he beat the sprawling Gigi Buffon to open the scoring.
Marco Materazzi brought it back level just a few minutes later, and the score would remain even until the end of 120 minutes. But it was the Italian scorer who set in motion a dramatic set of events that led to the French talisman Zidane’s dismissal.
Walking back to the center of the pitch, the Italian can be seen mouthing something to the French captain. Zidane walks on, then pauses, evidently reconsidering his reaction. He turns and then, lowering his head like a bull, rams the Italian on the chest. Cue a downed, writhing Materazzi, and a red card for Zidane in his very final match.
Italy went on to win the penalty shootout 5-3.