Italian footballer Marco Materazzi has been given an apology and a “substantial” payment from the Daily Star, over a story accusing him of racially abusing French captain Zinedine Zidane during the 2006 World Cup final.
The paper published a string of articles following the 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy in which Zidane headbutted Materazzi in the game’s dying seconds, earning him a red card.
The Star said Materazzi goaded Zidane, whose parents are Algerian, by calling his mother a ‘terrorist whore”.
Materazzi’s lawyer said the player had also launched proceedings against the Daily Mail and The Sun over the same story.
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Steven Heffer of law firm Collyer Bristow LLP said: ‘The Daily Star now accepts that these allegations are wholly untrue and there is no question of Marco Materazzi having said anything of a racist nature to Zidane whatsoever.
“The Daily Star has agreed to apologise publicly to Marco Materazzi, both in the newspaper and by way of a statement in court.
“The Daily Star will also be paying my client substantial damages and his legal costs.”
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Materazzi said: “I really appreciate the apology published in the Daily Star. The truth is now coming out – finally.
“I am looking forward to a quick and positive conclusion to my claims against the other newspapers. Only then will I be truly satisfied.”
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