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Library/Moment/Zidane's headbutt
Grade B20 sourcesHIS-01626

Zidane's headbutt

Moment · 2006 · Notable

43Editable slideCertificate

Zidane headbutt replays drew over 1.5 million YouTube views in a day.

Zinedine Zidane at the 2006 World Cup final.
David Ruddell, CC BY 2.0
Italy prevail after shoot-out drama | European Qualifiers 2006
UEFA
Zidane
Flickr / Alan (Kaptain Kobold)

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagion35Breadth60Velocity65Longevity743

Numbers

Peak proxy date
Week of Jul 17, 2006
Jul 9 ’06 to Week of Jul 17, 2006
Platforms
6
Started on TV
Origin
Mixed
Sports

Mechanics

  • Response chainPrimary
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Controversy

How it spread

Trace the origin

Zidane was sent off and France lost on penalties. Fans rebuilt the headbutt in LEGO, games and videos. An emailed parody became the French chart-topper Coup de Boule; a sculpture later carried the gesture into museums.

Proxy date; not a directly measured attention peak. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

Google searchesNov ’05Aug ’06Jun ’07Oct ’08Jun ’10Mar ’12Aug ’13Apr ’15Dec ’17Aug ’20Sep ’22Peak proxyTVOpen webAudioPressYouTubeRetail
TVOpen webAudioPressYouTubeRetail

13 more events on this chart

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Timeline (16)

  1. July 2006

    Zinedine Zidane seed · Jul 9 ’06

    Zidane headbutted Marco Materazzi and was sent off during the World Cup final.[1]

    Italy prevail after shoot-out drama | European Qualifiers 2006
    Open the first post ↗

  2. Alan / Kaptain Kobold platform jump · Jul 9 ’06

    Kaptain Kobold posted a LEGO recreation, saying he uploaded it within 15 minutes of the incident.[2]

    Zidane

  3. French radio / Skyrock platform jump · Week of Jul 10, 2006

    French radio played Coup de Boule after it circulated by email.[3][4][5]

  1. press · Jul 11 ’06

  2. platform jump · Jul 11 ’06

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Why it worked

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Origin
Mixed
Sector
Sports
Region
DE
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

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New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.