France's soccer team captain Zinedine Zidane (R) takes part in a television interview with journalist Michel Denisot (L) in Paris, July 12, 2006, in which he explained his head-butt on Italy defender Marco Materazzi during the July 9, 2006 final of the soccer World Cup. FIFA will open a disciplinary investigation into the circumstances of the incident. [Reuters]

But Zidane didn't go into specifics about what Marco Materazzi said. Materazzi swears he never insulted Zidane's mother. And FIFA is still investigating.

Relaxed and soft-spoken, Zidane repeatedly apologized to fans ¡ª especially to children ¡ª in several interviews late Wednesday.

"Above all, I'm human," he said.

The 34-year-old midfielder said he didn't regret the abrupt, violent outburst Sunday that marked the end of his 18-year professional career.

"I tell myself that if things happened this way, it's because somewhere up there it was decided that way," he told TF1 television. "And I don't regret anything that happened, I accept it."

Zidane sidestepped questions about exactly what Materazzi said.

"I would rather have taken a punch in the jaw than have heard that," he told the Canal Plus channel, stressing that Materazzi's language was "very harsh," and that he repeated the insults several times.

Zidane and Materazzi exchanged words after Italy broke up a French attack in extra time. Seconds later, Zidane lowered his head and rammed Materazzi in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Zidane was sent off, reducing France to 10 men. Italy went on to win in a penalty shootout with Zidane ¡ª an excellent penalty-taker ¡ª in the locker room.

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