On July 9, 2006, the FIFA World Cup Final at Berlin's Olympiastadion culminated not only in Italy's fourth World Cup title but in one of the tournament's most infamous moments: French captain Zinedine Zidane headbutted Italian defender Marco Materazzi during extra time and was shown a red card. The match had been tightly contested. Zidane opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a penalty, while Marco Materazzi equalised for Italy in the 19th minute with a headed goal. Regular time ended 1–1, and the teams proceeded to extra time. In the 110th minute, with play still level, television replays captured a confrontation between Zidane and Materazzi in the penalty area. Zidane turned and struck Materazzi on the chest with his forehead. The on-field referee, Horacio Elizondo of Argentina, after consulting his assistants and the match events, issued a straight red card to Zidane for violent conduct. The dismissal of Zidane, one of France's most influential players and the match captain, removed a central figure from the game in its decisive phase. Italy went on to win the final in a penalty shootout, 5–3, after both teams missed or converted spot kicks. The result secured Italy's status as world champions; for France, the ending marked a dramatic and controversial finale to Zidane's illustrious international career—he had announced his retirement from professional football prior to the tournament. The incident generated immediate global attention and extensive post-match discussion. Materazzi and Zidane later gave differing accounts of what provoked the confrontation. Materazzi acknowledged he had insulted Zidane during the exchange, and Zidane later admitted in interviews that he had reacted to verbal provocation. Various reports quoted both men offering their perspectives in the months and years after the match; however, precise wording and some details remain disputed in different retellings. FIFA conducted no public reversal of the sending-off, and Zidane's red card stood in the official match record. The headbutt has endured as a defining image of the 2006 World Cup, frequently replayed in highlight packages and analyzed in discussions of sportsmanship, provocation, and the psychological pressures of elite competition. It also prompted conversation about officiating, player discipline, and media treatment of high-profile incidents. The match remains historically significant both for Italy's title and for the extraordinary way it ended for Zidane and France. Because contemporary reporting relies on match footage, referee reports, and post-match statements by the principals and officials, accounts of motivations and exact words exchanged differ among sources. What is clear and undisputed in the official record is the sequence: Zidane scored a penalty, Materazzi equalised, the match proceeded to extra time, Zidane headbutted Materazzi in the 110th minute, and the referee sent Zidane off; Italy won on penalties to claim the World Cup.