What is Digg?43 Comments
- thesmartpenguin, on 10/12/2007, -4/+32Pfft, he was only nominated because of his hot sister.
zing.
*gets head butted* - ahutch1, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16That's to be expected. Despite the controversial ending, Zidane was still a very good player.
- solarisom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12Headbutts aside, Zidane's play in the World Cup was amazing, definitely a recognition he deserves.
- mikev, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12Zidane deserves this. He was a legendary player and definitely one of the best. He has done so much for European football and football in general. It's good to see FIFA give him the player of the year award. He much deserves it, at least he gets to end his career on a (sort of) high note.
- Brocclibob, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12Two reasons for getting it:
1. Excellent last year, especially world cup.
2. He hadbutted Marco Materazzi, and since most teams dont like matterazi, he was doing them a favour. Marco Materazzi dived against australia to get a penalty, dirty. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12Marco Materazzi was a ***** and insulted Zidane's mother to get a rise out of him, and Zidane did the stand-up thing in response. In my view he's a righteous guy no matter what, and deserves credit.
- john2kx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Zidane's headbutt was amazing.. This nomination is well-deserved.
- dpierce, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7"if France wins the World Cup"
..France lost. 3 months ago. - MOJIRA, on 05/17/2008, -1/+7Yeah, the diving is annoying, but C. Ronaldo will grow and wise up eventually. Plus he's a fantastic player now and I can only assume he'll get better with experience.
- afbase, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I doubt Zidane will get it but I think its great that he gets a nomination. I am no expert on how FIFA selects nominations or gives awards, but in light of the headbutt controversy, I think I would have still nominated him even with that headbutt in the back of my mind.
- didymus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5He hasn't been given player of the year, just nominated
- l0th, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8yeah, please someone headbutt Christiano Ronaldo. Let's get rid of all those divers.
- cecplex, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3He did a very classless thing for such a classy player. He's among the best players to ever win. He lead france to the cup in 1998 and he was on his way in 2006.
Regardless as to whether or not Matterazzi deserved what he got, you can't honestly tell me that you can resort to that type of behavior. A verbal threat simply shouldn't escalate to physical violence, if it does, you have some serious personal issues you need to work out.
Like I said, Zidane is one of the greats, and he does deserve this award; however, there's no defending his actions with the headbutt, it was wrong. Period. - mikev, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3ROFL
- ZenMojo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3They should give it to him just to piss off that Italian dude.
- felyduw, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@l0th
Please tell me who doesn't take a dive in football every now and then? Obviously high skilled players get tackled so many times that some times they will dive just to avoid the contact (and the pain of getting hit). Also sometimes players look for the freekick rather than try and get the shot, they learn when to do that, their managers also tell them so.
I don't get that paranoia with dives. They are part of the game and for that FIFA is to blame, not the players. More referees are needed, technology to detect goals is needed and tv replays for the referee on the more dubious plays are needed. - K-Flow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2despite the thing he did he got the golden ball. fifa doesn't look at a red card and not give the player the award. he won't win it anyway. he was out for a lot of 2006 with real. you won't get player of the year award for a great performance in the world cup.
- l0th, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@felyduw:
agreed, dives are common. I'm French, support the French team, and still believe Henry sort of dived in the final game against Italy (thus giving penalty kick to Zidane and 1-0 for France). But Ronaldo... Have you seen Portugal last two games in the world cup? He dived so many times against France and even more against Germany in the game for the 3rd place... In fact, he dived so many times I believe he's become a disgrace to Portugal that has an otherwise very decent team. Ronaldo's diving was more than frequent, frankly outrageous and utterly ridiculous. If you add to this his whining to get Rooney red carded, there, you've got a player with no class. Even Zidane with his head-butt is faring better in that respect... - l0th, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I believe Matterazzi is too stupid to be pissed off. That's the kind of guy who needs a head-butt in the chest to be pissed.
- Callidus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Yeah, this epic headbutt:
http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?image=originalen2.gif - sryb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2no matter what he did, he is still one of the best players to ever live and nothing can change that
- Doubledown, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Zidane carried the french team from almost being cut from the qualifiers to the WC final. He should be crowned.
- 1021, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3@Mohanned
You mean get better at learning how to dive, right? - frascellyboy273, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1If you're a known flamer just go back one page right now
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Response to other posts:
"Zidane was a role model for youth": is precisely why it was important not to turn the other cheek If a school bully called your mom a whore, what would you do? File a lawsuit against him? Get a reputation as a wimp who will take anything? Or would you do take a stand and stop things, put the bully in his place by flattening his nose and showing him his behavior needs to stop right now.
Had Zidane reacted by punching the Italian in the face, broken his nose, knocked out a tooth, it would have been standard violence. But I believe the headbutt was actually a more sophisticated response since it was launched as a whole-body blow, to return one form of attack with one form of pain and yet not permanently damaging violence.
In the Latinate cultures, family is important and a verbal insult about one's mother is not trivial. You don't turn the other cheek, it guarantees your status as a pussy and makes you a further target. I don't think Zidane was an irrational violent thug, but actually did a logical thing.
There's a difference between 'having issues' /assuming violence solves everything, and being realistic in a harsh world. Sometimes being politically correct is pretty stupid in the real world. If a guy tries to mug me, I'm not going to stand there and try to persuade him to be a nice guy, ask him if he would like a flower because violence never solves anything. I'd kick him in the balls and beat the hell out of him before he does me if I could. Sometimes you have to take a stand. But outside of that I believe in good manners and chewing with my mouth closed and would never condone violence against women. - LarianLeQuella, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Since he's retiring I see this as a "must do" nomination, however, his World Cup actions are going to bite him in the butt. Before that, he would easilly have won the balloting, now he'll end up getting snubbed.
- DavisTheDigger, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1doubt he'll win
- TheConsigliere, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0It maybe ok for a 13 year old to feel that he should resort to violence to protect his pride but I thought most people outgrow that kind of insecurity by the time they reach adulthood.
However, as an Australian, I had very little to complain about the headbutt. Judging from past incidents, including the one involving Sevchenko, Matterazzi was probably due for what he got.
Also Zidane's performance in that game against Brazil was the single greatest individual display I've seen in my 10 years of following football. He deserved that nomination just for that game alone. - protossss, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0If Henry does not win this time it will prove once and for all that FIFA is Italian and Spanish biased IMHO
- soccerman8, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Yes Zidane played amazing and deserved the award all the way until the moment where Hi head pummeled the ***** out of Mazerati's chest. I mean are we aying that just any player no matter how good he is can just at any moment can just have an outburst and retaliate with force just because of a spoken comment. I think that FIFA is ***** for allowing Zidane to get the award. I mean is FIFA trying to set examples for younger players or what? They are telling the young ones that it is okay to do these things you will still get the best player. So to FIFA I say that next time their should be more consequences for such actions and Materazzi has the right to say what he pleases. He should have never recieved any punishment. Hey Zidane cool the temper and got to anger management. I mean what the hel you screwed your team over and they lost the game becasue of you. you would have taken the place of Trezeguet and he would have never missed the PK. SEE YA
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Zidane should be remembered for what he has done in his entire football playing career, not what happened during the last few minutes of it. If the latter is taken into consideration, it just shows how prejudiced people can get.
Zidane is a paragon of what football players should be, in my opinion, humble, modest, and passionate about the game. - psyops, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Zidane was jealous Matterazzi had scored earlier in the game with his head after Zidane himself had failed to head-in a beautiful cross moments before. Being the veteran that he is, it was surpring to see him fail the French in such a foolish manner.
- elbeeble, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1@Mohanned
If you watch C. Ronaldo playing for Manchester United in the premier league you can see how talented he is. The only time he really dives is when playing for Portugal.
Also, Zidane deserves the nomination. A true legend - Wikifindings, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1@WaltDismal: Since when is being insulted (or an affront against your mother) justification for violent behavior among people who live outside of ghetto neighborhoods? Protecting your "family's honor" like that is intolerable in civilized cultures and physical violence is not an acceptable reaction to a lame verbal insult.
I don't care what Materazzi said and expect a professional soccer player like Zidane, who is paid millions to do his job, to be in control of his emotions, for the sake of his team (it can certainly be said that the French lost the tournament due to Zidane's sending-off) and with regard to the youth who looks to him as role model.
Praising his lifetime achievement in soccer history is acceptable and welcome, lauding his actions of the last year by making him "Player of the Year" is not. - dooms13, on 10/12/2007, -12/+7Interesting...isn't he the guy that head butted the Italian in the World Cup Final?
He is amazing though, not going to debate that. - baldr, on 10/12/2007, -8/+4do you realize how often people take dives in soccer? there were more dives than goals this past world cup, seriously
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1Zidane is a *****, the other guy didnt insult his mum it was later established but even so Zidane has no right to do that he just proves he is a ***** *****.
- BamB00, on 10/12/2007, -7/+0if France wins the World Cup, I will be positive that Zizou will win the POTY award even he headbutted Materazzi and now it will be difficult for him to win this honor.
- über, on 10/12/2007, -10/+3And I've always been told that violence is not the answer.....
- devindotcom, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1Wow, I really thought Zinedine Zidane was the full name for the Zune, and it was being nominated for MP3 Player of the year.
- vvvv, on 10/12/2007, -13/+3Zidane deserves our respect for finally settling the question of which nation is worse at fighting: the French or the Italians.
- mhaluza, on 10/12/2007, -14/+4headbutt a player, get nominated for player of the year award. What a role model!
- ayeyen, on 10/12/2007, -14/+0When I saw "Player of the Year" I immidiately thought video games. Damn.
Digg is coming to a city (and computer) near you! Check out all the details on our 
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is 