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FOUL PLAY SET IN STONE: Italy's Marco Materazzi falls on the pitch after being head-butted by France's Zinedine Zidane (R) during their World Cup 2006 final soccer match in Berlin in 2006.photo: REUTERS

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The bronze work of art, simply titled "Headbutt", attracted crowds of tourists and locals who jostled to have their photos taken in front of the 5m statue. The sculpture is by Algerian artist Adel Abdessemed, subject of a retrospective exhibition in the Pompidou from October 3 until next January.

"This statue goes against the tradition of making statues in honour of certain victories. It is an ode to defeat," said exhibition organiser Alain Michaud.

A much smaller version of the statue - which shows the two football players in the seconds after the headbutt, with the Italian player reeling after the attack - was previously exhibited by a New York art gallery.

Zidane, who holds legendary status in France as a member of the national teams that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, was sent off in the 2006 World Cup final for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest. That was the then France captain's last ever professional match as a player and he later claimed he had reacted to slurs the Italian made against his sister and mother. The statue will stay in its spot in front of the Pompidou till the end of the exhibition in January.

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Sat May 25 04:06:09 SAST 2013 ::

Sep 28, 2012

spirro

THIS IS A GIANT STATUE SOME PEOPLE ARE CREATIVE
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Sep 28, 2012

Majamela

No comments
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Sep 28, 2012

PANJOdeTIGER

I wish Zidane can come back and headbutt Jali and Mahamutsa these 2 people play KAK football,,,
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Sep 28, 2012

Nastradamas

Mxm !!!!!
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Sep 28, 2012

MmaSeshego

Why waste money like that?

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Sep 28, 2012

Bees

@ PANJOdeTIGER, ukhuluma udoti.
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Sep 28, 2012

LeparaThePresident

se monde est plein de fous.
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Sep 28, 2012

Boogie1985

mxm zidane has a bigger head though
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Oct 1, 2012

Moffdat

Zidane must come back and headbutt NEESKENS!!!! MOSONOOOOOOOOO
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Oct 1, 2012

Shredder

Now here is the man (MaZZ). Not that Messi guy.
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