这是一届少了很多悬念、几乎没有什么冷门“黑马”的世界杯，但你却不能不承认它的戏剧性。对于齐达内在世界杯决赛中近乎戏剧性的抱憾收场，全世界球迷都在疑惑，究竟什么样的言语挑衅，让齐达内在赛场上无所顾忌顶翻马特拉齐？法国当地时间7月12日晚间，齐达内接受法国国家电视台Canal+采访时，首度公开自己那著名“一撞”的缘由——马特拉齐侮辱了他的母亲及姐姐。对于“头击”行为，齐达内表示他深感抱歉但永不后悔。而关于齐马之间的口角，齐达内不愿详细透露具体细节。

 

An apology, but no regrets and no detailed explanation on what set him off. That's where French soccer star Zinedine Zidane left things Wednesday during widely broadcast television interviews that attempted to decipher his ugly head-butting of an Italian opponent during the World Cup final.

He did say he was spurred by cruel insults to his mother and sister. But the exact exchange between France's captain and Marco Materazzi remains a mystery. Zidane never was specific about what enraged him. So, for the moment, the words stay between them. 

"I would rather have taken a punch in the jaw than have heard that ," he told the Canal-Plus television network, stressing that Materazzi's language was "very harsh," and that he uttered the insults several times.

In his first public comments since Sunday's match, Zidane repeatedly apologized to fans, especially to children. But he said he didn't regret the abrupt, violent outburst that marked the end of his illustrious 18-year professional career.

"I tell myself that if things happened this way, it's because somewhere up there it was decided that way ," the 34-year-old midfielder said in an interview on TF1 television. "And I don't regret anything that happened, I accept it."

Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack in extra-time. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Zidane was sent off, reducing France to 10 men. Italy went on to win in a penalty shootout with Zidane in the locker room.

The act of aggression marred the end of the World Cup, with many warning it would tarnish the legacy of Zidane, who retired after the tournament.

Wednesday, he stressed he felt no regret "because that would mean (Materazzi) was right to say all that."

"There was a serious provocation," Zidane said. "My act is not forgivable. But they must also punish the true guilty party, and the guilty party is the one who provokes."

词汇：

set him off : 让他暴怒

head-butting: 用头撞人

illustrious: shining, outstanding（杰出的，卓越的）

if things happened this way, it's because somewhere up there it was decided that way: 如果事情这样发生了，那么它就是注定的，是命运这样安排和决定的。

extra-time: 加时赛

penalty shootout: 点球大战