Marco Materazzi is an Italian footballer and manager, who coaches and plays for Indian Super League club Chennaiyin as a defender.
At the beginning of his career, Materazzi played with various Italian teams in Serie B and Serie C, and with Everton in the Premier League. He spent two periods with Perugia (1995–98 and 1999–2001) and signed for Internazionale, in 2001 for €10 million. At club level, he won a number of major honors with Inter including five Serie A league titles in a row from 2006 to 2010, one UEFA Champions League, one FIFA Club World Cup, four Coppa Italia titles, and the Supercoppa Italiana four times.[1]
Materazzi earned 41 caps for Italy from his debut in 2001 until 2008, playing in two World Cups and two European Championships. He was one of the key players in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final against France, as he scored Italy's goal and later, in extra time, he received a headbutt from Zinedine Zidane, which was punished with a red card. Italy then went on to win the World Cup in a penalty shoot-out, during which Materazzi scored again.
A controversial and provocative figure in football, he was known for his very physical and aggressive style of play, as well as his tight marking and strong, harsh tackling, which led him to receive more than 60 yellow cards and 25 red cards throughout his playing career. Due to his temper, and his commitment to rash, heavy challenges, he has been involved in several altercations with other players during matches, drawing comparisons with retired defender Pasquale Bruno. The Times placed Materazzi at number 45 in their list of the 50 hardest football players in history. During the 2006–07 season, Materazzi was voted the Serie A Defender of the Year.
