So, we got a note from game tools company NaturalMotion: "I thought you might be interested in watching this humorous simulation of the infamous Zidane headbutt [YouTube link] which was created using endorphin, NaturalMotion’s award-winning 3D animation software." And we were!

I guess that the simulation, which sorta uses AI-aided animation technology with realistic physics plugged in, if you can describe it like that, 'proves' that Materazzi didn't dive - which is kinda obvious from the original video, but hey - it's fun! Incidentally, a real-time version of this tech is being used in the next Indiana Jones game.

There's also a thread in the NaturalMotion forums which includes the scene file so anyone can recreate it, and some amusing banter: "On materazzi, why did you have to keep the walk animation going throughout the entire timeline? As soon as he gets the headbutt, he obviously won't try to walk anymore, the simulation taking over from the walk cycle..." I also would not try to walk if someone headbutted me off my feet! [Via Nich.]