The striker now looks to the example of his club colleague Zinedine Zidane for inspiration.
Zidane is the head of the team, the motor, so his injury is a real shame.
He said he was Zidane's greatest fan in Gennevilliers and that hadn't changed.
The exchange had still seemed innocent enough until Zidane inexplicably headbutted the Italian defender in the chest.
Beckham padded a lineup that already included such all-stars as Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Ronaldo .
Robert Pires may line up alongside Zidane in midfield after Emmanuel Petit was ruled out because of injury.
Zidane was out for four months last year after an injury to the same knee that required surgery.
Zidane was sent off for the attack and later claimed he was provoked after Materazzi had insulted his mother.
BBC: SPORT | Football | Internationals | Materazzi breaks Zidane silence
"You hear those things once and you try to walk away, " added Zidane.
BBC: SPORT | Football | Internationals | Materazzi breaks Zidane silence
He was more than willing to talk to us and like everyone we encountered in Gennevilliers had nothing but praise for Zidane.
Henry narrowly missed out to Real Madrid and France midfielder Zidane in Fifa's 2003 World Player of the Year award.
Europe's problems nearly always start with miscommunication: the Ems telegram and the Zidane headbutt being just two examples.
Instead, Zidane was dismissed from the field for headbutting Materazzi, apparently in retaliation to some verbal insult offered by the Italian defender.
By the 1998 tournament, veteran stars had given way to a new generation, led by Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira.
Johan Micoud of Girondins Bordeaux has been called up to replace Zidane, while Monaco utility defender Martin Djetou steps in for Candela.
Beckham moved on to Real in 2003, where he played alongside the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Raul and Roberto Carlos.
Now retired, Zidane is among the few who can rival Beckham's charisma.
French Football Federation chairman Claude Simonet caused confusion with an initial statement that said Zidane would definitely miss the first two games.
But Materazzi told Gazzetta dello Sport that Zidane's sister was the subject.
BBC: SPORT | Football | Internationals | Materazzi breaks Zidane silence
To highlight his point, Lemerre's team struggled to victory in Zidane's absence.
He was wearing Real Madrid's blue away shirt, Zidane's last club.
During his 2000-2006 tenure he bought in world class stars such as David Beckham (also poached from Manchester United) and France's Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane, who has since retired from football, has never specified what Materazzi said to him and has refused to apologise to his opponent.
BBC: SPORT | Football | Internationals | Materazzi breaks Zidane silence
Only three non-French based players made the initial list: Zinedine Zidane of Juventus, Lilian Thuram of Parma and Vincent Candela of AS Roma.
As Zidane struggles for fitness, France team-mate David Trezeguet claims the inspirational French midfielder had injury worries before the friendly with South Korea.
Henry joins Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira and Didier Deschamps as the French players to have played 100 internationals or more.
Zidane grabbed one back before the break and Guti scored the equaliser on 60 minutes to ensure Real remain in control of Group C.
Asked on 12 July exactly Materazzi had said, Zidane would only offer that it was "very personal" and concerned his mother and his sister.
BBC: SPORT | Football | Internationals | Materazzi breaks Zidane silence
Zidane himself confirmed he will miss France's first game, but remains optimistic that he could be fit for the crucial second match against Uruguay.
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