FIFA to investigate Zidane head-butting

LONDON (Reuters) - FIFA will open a disciplinary investigation into the circumstances surrounding France captain Zinedine Zidane's head-butt on Italy's Marco Materazzi during the World Cup final.

Playing the last match of a great career, the French midfielder drove his head into Materazzi's chest in the second period of extra time in Berlin after exchanging comments with the Italian.

"FIFA will open a disciplinary investigation into Zidane's conduct to enable it to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident as exactly as possible," world soccer's governing body said in a statement.

What exactly was said between the two remains a mystery although Materazzi has denied allegations he called Zidane a "dirty terrorist."

"I used an insult that I've heard used a dozen times and which is heard all the time on the pitch," Materazzi told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper when asked whether he had insulted Zidane's sister.

"I certainly did not call him a terrorist: I'm ignorant, I don't even know exactly what an Islamic terrorist is ... I also certainly didn't say anything about Zidane's mother: for me, a mother is sacrosanct."

Italy won the final in a penalty shootout after Zidane was sent off for the head-butt.

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