A handful of international stars whose best days are well behind them have helped the Indian Super League, which is set to get off the floor from October 12, grab some attention. Alessandro Del Piero, Robert Pires, Nicolas Anelka and Freddie Ljungberg are all remarkable names but none is more newsworthy than Chennaiyin’s player-manager Marco Materazzi.
The Italian became a central figure in the gripping final of the 2006 World Cup after gaining a place in the starting XI in the wake of an injury to first-choice central defender Alessandro Nesta. Materazzi was at the receiving end of Zinedine Zidane’s head butt in extra-time but the villain and the victim exchanged places in public imagination.
Even though Zidane’s reaction to Materazzi’s verbal volley was an inexcusable act of indiscipline, the Frenchman gained sympathy in the hearts of football fans. People considered the indiscretion of Zidane in positive light because his brilliance as a player clouded their opinion. On the other hand, Materazzi’s bad boy reputation earned him even more infamy on the dramatic night in Berlin.
Provocations punctuated by insinuations about family members are an old game in professional sports and players who respond to them unwittingly fall prey to the designs of their opponents. Materazzi showed remarkable composure during his first press conference in Chennai recently, as an inevitable question about the head butt cropped up. The Italian sidestepped the incident by talking about the penalty he conceded that resulted in the opening goal for the French, the goal he scored subsequently to restore parity and the penalty kick he converted in the shootout.
Materazzi’s career might be bookmarked by the moment in which Zidane lost his head but people tend to forget his pivotal role in the riveting final. The Italian subtly sent a message that he had been more than an irritable player at his peak.
Materazzi was a multi-faceted player, even though people tend to remember him for his seedier side. He was a sturdy defender if not a classy one like his compatriot Paolo Maldini. He had a goal scoring instinct that was remarkable for a defender. The Italian’s prowess in the air was second to none. The Champions League winner with Inter Milan was a superb penalty taker as his shot had raw power and his body nerves of steel. Above all, he had a competitive streak that rubbed off on his team-mates.
Even though his hunger for success crossed the line sometimes, players with his attitude are integral to the success of professional clubs. Chennaiyin would be hoping that they, too, would benefit from Materazzi’s fierce competitiveness.
