He will walk off the pitch tonight and out of football forever. And he will leave behind a million memories. Zinedine Zidane has been - is, until tonight - the best player in the world for a generation. The best European since Johan Cruyff retired. How shall we best remember him, this man who 'plays as if he has silk gloves on each foot' (Alfredo Di Stefano), who 'can do things with his feet that others cannot do with their hands' (Thierry Henry).
Yet a man who looks forever troubled, as if haunted by his own greatness, his rounded shoulders weighed down by expectations within and beyond football. Shall we remember him for his goals - the two in the World Cup final that brought millions to the streets of Paris in 1998; the sublime winning volley that won the European Cup for Real Madrid in 2002? Or shall we remember his words: 'The game, the event, is not necessarily experienced or remembered in real time. My memories are fragmented - whenever something amazing happened I would remember playing in another place, at another time. Someone passed the ball to me and, before even touching it, I knew exactly what was going to happen. I knew I was going to score.'
There will be drama in the World Cup final, France v Italy, tonight. And there will be romance if Zinedine Zidane can take himself to another time, another place, and score one last goal. Something else to remember him by. Adieu.
You can order small pieces of the lawn they'll play on tonight, already now:
either in acryl
or 'pure nature'
0 Replies
Steve 41oo
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 11:34 am
hang on he's not dead
Everybody is rooting for ZouZou...even the Italians (sort of) I bet.
Its therefore a sure thing he will have a bad game and Italy will win.
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Joe Nation
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:00 pm
Here we go.
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ossobuco
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:04 pm
geez, Henry down..
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Walter Hinteler
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:08 pm
Those ****ing Italians.
But what a wonderful goal by Zidane!
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ossobuco
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:08 pm
Yikes.
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Joe Nation
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:20 pm
Now it's a game
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CalamityJane
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:21 pm
Walter Hinteler wrote:
Those ****ing Italians.
But what a wonderful goal by Zidane!
I agree!!! Let's root more fore Zidane and France!
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ossobuco
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:22 pm
I don't dare go get iced tea...
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Lord Ellpus
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:51 pm
Half Time 1 - 1.
What a great game, so far.
ALLEZ LES VIEUX!
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el pohl
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:52 pm
Pfft. Zidane scores by a pass from Horacio Elizondo. France tries to play the doorbolt but can't and receives a goal. France hasn't done a thing - except Malouda who seems to have received acting lessons -, and Italy has caused danger only on plays from a stopped ball.
With 2 teams with formations 4-4-1-1 is tough to see spectacular football. Let's hope things will get better in the 2nd half.
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wandeljw
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 12:52 pm
Let's bring out the cheerleaders. (My daughter is the one in the air.)
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ossobuco
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 01:16 pm
Vieira, one of my fantasy strikers, down with what sounds like hamstring tear or pull..
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el pohl
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 01:55 pm
Damn it! Extra times.
France started playing like France with more participation from Henry. Then the ref, with another dubious call, annulated an italian goal. Didn't see Totti in the field. Hopefully del Piero will start some magic.
Good thing that Zidane wasn't seriously injured!!!
I'm begging this won't require PK's, although it would become this WC's trademark.
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CalamityJane
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 02:08 pm
Pah! I think the referee is very partial towards Italy.
The goal was rightfully so not accepted, but the foul on Zidane was
so obvious, especially in the recap, only a pro-Italian referee would
not have seen it
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CalamityJane
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 02:20 pm
wow, Zidane is off the court. Why would he do that in the last minutes?
Bizarre!
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Walter Hinteler
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 02:44 pm
CalamityJane wrote:
wow, Zidane is off the court. Why would he do that in the last minutes?
Bizarre!
Zidane had lost the championship for France .... and gave reason that hundreds of sport journalists had to re-write their reports.
See you in Switzerland :wink:
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Joe Nation
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 02:50 pm
What a bizarre way to end a career.
The red card was entirely deserved.
Viva Italia.
Joe
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ossobuco
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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 02:51 pm
Yeh, it goes against everything I've read about him to date. Tough way to go out.