French and Juventus legend Zinedine Zidane says he deserved his red card in the 2006 World Cup final.

Zidane head-butted Italy defender Marco Materazzi and while the incident wasn't seen by the referee, officials brought it to his attention and he received his marching order.

"It [the sending off] was a very good thing. It's good that Buffon signaled what I had done to the referee because it was not pretty," Zidane told France Football.

"I don't know how I could have lived with it had France become world champions and I had stayed on the pitch."