I was in a bar in Paris that night in 2006 when Zinedine Zidane was red-carded for butting Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the World Cup semifinals.

It was a moment of madness. Materazzi was running his mouth, taunting Zidane, and the French star flipped out.

We normally would not expect the moment to be turned into art … but it has been — a 16-foot statue outside the Pompidou Center, near the Marais, an idea which has attracted a lot of attention in the media.

And there is Zidane, having just stuck his head into Materazzi’s chest, a shocking moment that did not lead directly to Italy’s victory … but in our memory seems to.

No word yet on how Zidane feels about this. The guy had a marvelous career and led France to the 1998 World Cup championship and the 2000 European championship, too.

But increasingly we are beginning to think first about the headbutt. Not the two goals he scored in the 1998 final against Brazil. Or all the other positive moments.

It would be like erecting a statue of Sandy Koufax looking over his shoulder, watching a home run leave the park. Sure, he gave up some homers. But we don’t remember him for that.

Zidane? That statue may cast his legacy in bronze.