6. He Was Banned For 5 Games For Headbutting Jochen Kientz
In some ways, Zidane's career can be defined by his head. In the final of World Cup '98, in the Paris heat, it was his iconic, monk-like haircut that we saw rising highest to head home two France corners to help France to be crowned world champions. Eight years later, in another World Cup final, that now totally bald head would connect with Marco Materazzi's chest for the defining moment of a final France went on to lose. Those who had watched his career closesly, though, would not have been shocked. The truth is, he was sometimes as keen for his forehead to connect with an opponent's head as with the ball. Before Materazzi, even before Real Madrid, back in 2000, Zidane showed his dark side to the watching world during a Champions League game for Juventus against Budesliga side Hamburg. Juve lost the game 3-1 but it was mainly remembered for Zidane's vicious headbutt on Hamburg player Jochen Kientz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMvZYNCEKZw The Frenchman saw red (in more ways than one) and was slapped with a five game ban. Kientz, meanwhile, missed two weeks of action thanks to the concussion and broken cheekbone he suffered. It was the tenth red card of Zidane's career, but it wouldn't be his last...
David is an office drone and freelance writer for WhatCulture and Moviepilot, among others. He's also foolishly writing a serialised novel on Jukepop and has his own irregularly updated website. He's available for freelance work. Reach out on Twitter to @davefox990
