Books have been written about him , a film was devoted to following his every move on a football field and now the career of French icon Zinedine Zidane has been immortalized in bronze . From Cannes to Real Madrid -- his first and last clubs -- Zidane 's career was characterized by moments of audacity and greatness . None more so than when he scored a brace which helped win the World Cup for France on home soil in 1998 , or one of the greatest goals of all time in the 2002 European Champions League final in Real Madrid 's 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in Glasgow . But Algerian-born artist Adel Abdessemed was less interested in the zenith of Zidane 's career . Instead he has focused on its nadir -- the Frenchman 's infamous headbutting of Italy 's Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final in Zidane 's last professional game . `` This statue goes against the tradition of making statues in honour of certain victories . It is an ode to defeat , '' exhibition organizer Alain Michaud told Agence France Presse after the five meter statue was unveiled in the French capital city of Paris outside the world-renowned Pompidou Museum . The statue captures the moment when , with the scores level at 1-1 between France and Italy in Berlin in football 's biggest game , Zidane was given a straight red card for his assault on Materazzi deep into extra-time . France went on to lose the match on penalties , when striker David Trezeguet saw his spot kick crash into the crossbar and Fabio Grosso converted to crown Italy world champions . Exactly what Materazzi said to draw such a violent reaction from Zidane remains unknown . U.S. animated comedy Family Guy parodied the incident in the 2006 episode `` Saving Private Brian '' , where Zidane headbutts an old lady while delivering her a birthday cake . Widely regarded as one of the finest footballers to have ever played the game , Zidane playedfor Cannes and Bordeaux in France , before moving to Juventus and then Real . The Algerian-born playmaker scored twice as France beat Brazil 3-0 in the World Cup final of 1998 . He is also remembered for the stunning goal which won Real Madrid a ninth European Cup in 2002 , when he converted a Roberto Carlos cross with a stunning volley against Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park . Zidane , who retired immediately after the 2006 final , was crowned FIFA World Player of the Year on three occasions . He now works as Real Madrid director of football , while his three sons are all members of the club 's youth academy . Zidane is not the first footballer to be honored with a permanent monument to his on-field achievements . Wembley Stadium , the home of English fooball , is decorated with a statue of Bobby Moore , the defender who captained the country to its only World Cup triumph in 1966 . Carlos Valderrama is the most-capped player in Colombia 's history , famous for his flair and outrageous afro and the midfielder has a statue in his hometown of Santa Marta , complete with frizzy golden locks . But it is not just players who have been the subject of sculptures . Azerbaijani linesman Tofiq Bahramov , who ruled that England 's controversial third goal had crossed the line in the 1966 final , has a statue outside of the stadium named in his honor in his homeland . Perhaps most unusually of all , English Premier League team Fulham has a sculpture of the late pop icon Michael Jackson outside its Craven Cottage stadium . The club 's owner Mohamed al Fayed was a close friend of Jackson 's prior to his death in 2009 . Zidane 's statue will remain outside the Pompidou Museum until the end of the Abdessemed exhibition in January .
A bronze statue of Zinedine Faye head - butting Alessandro also exists . The piece outside Paris ' Pompidou Museum is the work of Adel Abdessemed . The headbutt occurred in the 2006 World Cup final , which Italy won on penalties . Zidane is regarded as one of the finest players in history .