Zinedine Zidane Headbutt Statue to be Re-installed in Qatar Ahead of 2022 World Cup
Nine years after it as pulled down, a statue immortalising the moment French football legend Zinedine Zidane headbutted Italian defender, Marco Materazzi during the 2006 World Cup final will be re-installed in Qatar.
It should be recalled that the original statue was removed in 2013 amid a domestic backlash.
The 5-metre bronze work called “Coup de tete” was removed days after its unveiling. While some people in the conservative Muslim country criticised it for promoting idolatry and others tagged it as encouraging violence.
According to Qatar Museums Chairperson Sheikha al-Mayassa al-Thani, who is the sister of Qatar’s ruling emir, “Evolution happens in societies. It takes time and people may criticize something to begin with, but then understand it and get used to it.”
She said the original public location of the statue was “not right” and that the sculpture would be remounted at a new sports museum in Doha, which is hosting the World Cup later this year.
