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Originally Posted by rubberneck
You are making the assumption that the Italian defender knew how to insult Zidane in French or that Zidane knew Italian.
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Zidane played in Italy for Juventus for five seasons.
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Originally Posted by x_sf_med
Being Algerian explains why Zidane didn't surrender and apologize to the Italians - the Algerians even kept the LEdF at bay for a great number of years.
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Zidane was born in Marseille, France. His parents were Algerians. Unlike many Algerians and other North African and black African immigrants and their children, who remain unassimilated, he is pretty much a fully assimilated Frenchman.
Franco-Algerians do have their martial qualities, though. The
3e division d'infanterie algérienne (3rd Algerian Infantry Division) relieved the 45th "Thunderbird" Infantry Division on the Rapido River in January 1944 so the 45th ID could be landed at Anzio. The division then fought as part of the French Expeditionary Corps in the breaching of the Winter Line around Monte Cassino and in 5th US Army's drive on Rome. The division captured Siena in July 1944, and was then pulled from the line to prepare for the invasion of Southern France. In August 1944, landing after Truscott's VI Corps, it participated in the capture of Toulon and Marseille by French forces. It then participated in 7th US Army's drive up the Rhone river valley to the Vosges, where the French and American forces linked up with Patton's 3rd US Army (on Patton's side, by the way, Leclerc's 2nd French Armored Division effected the linkup). When LTG Devers' 6th Army Group was stood up, most of the French forces were pulled from 7th US Army and formed into Jen de Lattre de Tassigny's 1st French Army. The Algerians then participated in the Vosges and Alsace campaigns and the reduction of the Colmar pocket. In March 1945, under 7th Army again, they attacked from Strasbourg and breached the West Wall. Back under French 1st Army, they crossed the Rhine at Speyer and drove on Stuttgart, where they ended the war.