Zinedine Zidane won the World Cup, the Champions League and the Ballon d'Or, and he belongs with the best who have played. His final act as a professional was to headbutt Marco Materazzi in the chest during the 2006 World Cup final. The last thing football gave him was a red card.
On his way to the dressing room, he walked straight past the World Cup trophy.
Was the Materazzi headbutt a one-off?
No. Zidane collected 14 red cards over his career, far more than most people realise. At the 1998 World Cup he was sent off against Saudi Arabia for stamping on a player. Playing for Juventus in a Champions League match, he headbutted Jochen Kientz.
The attacking midfielder played from 1988 to 2006 for Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid.
He could have walked off as the best player of his generation, lifting the World Cup one last time. Instead he headbutted a man on the biggest stage the game has and walked past the trophy in disgrace. No villain on this list had more talent.
Zidane's last game on film
Tomorrow: number 9.
