10 years on from the most ignominious moment in Zinedine Zidane's career, the man who he headbutted has told L'Equipe what he said to elicit such a reaction from the Frenchman.

Italy would go on to win the World Cup final on penalties after the current Real Madrid manager had scored a penalty that, ironically, Materazzi had given away.

That headbutt, which went down in infamy, would be the final act in Zidane's illustrious career. Former Italian and Inter Milan defender Materazzi has finally discussed what was said in those few moments before Zidane saw red, both figuratively and literally.

"I talked about his sister not his mother, like I have read in some newspapers. My mother died while I was a teenager, I would never insult his."

"I decided to publish a book about this event because everyone asked me what I had told him (Zidane) to react like that. My words were stupid but did not deserve that reaction. In any neighbourhood of Rome, Naples, Turin, Milan Paris, I hear much more serious things," he told L'Equipe.

"I have never understood why that incident reached such levels of notoriety. The only thing I want to remember from that day were my goals," he said. "Sometimes, in Italy, I meet fans on the street and they say to me: 'Marco, you did well giving him that headbutt!'

"And it makes me angry because... I was the one who was on the receiving end! But it shows just how strange it is that the story has been told and altered. It's no big deal, I don't resent it, and I never will."