While doubts remain over Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup, the Gulf state has moved to bring a statue immortalising one of the tournament’s most iconic moments to its shores. Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt on Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the 2006 final ended the career of the France legend and, without him, his country were beaten in a penalty-shootout.
Algerian artist Adel Abdessemed recreated the moment of madness in a 16-foot bronze statue, initially unveiled outside the famous Pompidou art museum in Paris.
But now it has landed in Qatar, the country whose award of the 2022 tournament has caused much controversy and now seems certain to be switched to a winter date. The statue, though, will be a permanent fixture on the Doha Corniche in the country’s capital.
But now it has landed in Qatar, the country whose award of the 2022 tournament has caused much controversy and now seems certain to be switched to a winter date. The statue, though, will be a permanent fixture on the Doha Corniche in the country’s capital.
And Jean Paul Engelen, Qatar Museums Authority director of Public Art, said: 'We expect a lot of people to want to take photos with it, and of it. 'It’s an impressive piece. It’s a huge sculpture, and it’s done in the same style as Greek Mythological statues, but this glorifies human defects instead. 'It shows that although we sometimes treat footballers like gods, they’re not - they’re just human beings.'
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