Zinédine Zidane’s little-known 2006 World Cup final shoulder dislocation | OneFootball

Zinédine Zidane played on in the 2006 World Cup final after dislocating a shoulder following a collision with Fabio Cannavaro. As reported by L'Équipe, the documentary «9 juillet 2006» revisits the France v Italy showpiece beyond the headbutt that defined it.

In the 80th minute, Zidane moved to cushion a long aerial ball. As he jumped, Cannavaro arrived at speed from behind, leapt with a raised knee above him and sent the France captain crashing to the turf. Zidane landed awkwardly, signalled to the bench and appeared in distress.

Cannavaro had been combative from the first whistle, leaving Thierry Henry knocked out inside the opening minute. He would later win the Ballon d'Or that year and is now Uzbekistan head coach at the World Cup. Patrick Vieira later suggested Italy feared France and would use intimidation, reading Cannavaro’s early challenge as a statement.

With Zidane on the turf, France team doctor Jean-Pierre Paclet saw a shoulder dislocation and many feared his final was over. Paclet recalls Marco Materazzi approaching and, in Italian, telling him there was no point and that Zidane was finished, a remark Zidane, who speaks Italian, understood.

Mindful it was Zidane’s last match and a World Cup final, Paclet attempted a gentle manoeuvre and the joint slipped back into place. Zidane continued, heading towards an ending few imagined at that moment.

Source: L'Équipe