World Cup: Zidane fall deflates French mood

By Alasdair Sandford
BBC News, Paris

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/h...166474.stm

France had been gripped by 'Zidanomania' during the World Cup

The images on the screen brought a roar of horror from the crowded bar.

It was as though someone had faked the footage and dropped it surreptitiously into the match coverage, like some kind of grotesque video nasty.

Slow motion replays of Zinedine Zidane usually focus on the split second while he teases an opponent, weighing up which particular ball trick to pull off before leaving the hapless defender in his wake. But not this. They saw instead, their hero butting an Italian player and getting sent off.

The atmosphere in the Rush Bar in eastern Paris had been upbeat until then.

A tom-tom drum accompanied the continuous chants of "Come On Les Bleus" as the overwhelmingly French crowd played along to the English pub surroundings.

Before the match and again at half-time, the sound system had belted out what has been tipped to be one of the hits of the summer.

As the bar crowd sang "Zidane y va marquer", they meant he was going to score goals.

But 'marquer' can also mean 'make an impression'. From now on, the song may have slightly different connotations.

'Very sad'

Outside the bar afterwards, the sending-off was as bewildering to the French fans as the penalty shoot-out had been disappointing.

"It's a very bad image of France for the world," Aude Sarrade-Louchour said.

"The French people have a good sense of fair play. Zinedine Zidane's attitude was very bad. I don't understand what he's done."

"It's very, very sad for him to leave his professional career like that", Thibaud Caquant said.

"He deserved a better way. But he's still the world's greatest player."

Just five minutes before his moment of madness, a goal-bound header from Zidane had briefly conjured up memories of his two goals against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup Final.

The transition from fantasy to nightmare was abrupt and shocking, all the more so because of what one newspaper had previously described as the 'Zidanomania' of the past two weeks.

The adulation saw him not just compared to Platini, Maradona and Pele - but revered as some kind of modern-day sporting equivalent of India's pacifist leader Mahatma Gandhi, or US civil rights leader Martin Luther King.


'France dreamed'

The same newspaper, Liberation, now calls for a return down to earth.



Some fans were bewildered by the send-off

Naming players such as Thuram and Vieira, Barthez and Zidane, it acknowledges that the 1998 World Cup winning generation deserves its pantheon.

"This multicoloured France which flies high the three-coloured flag does not hide the failure of integration," it says, "but proves the virtues of mixing".

But the paper warns that for the French, football has become a way of turning their attention away from reality - and says it is the only thing in which they share a sense of common destiny.

"For a month, France dreamed with Zidane", it added. "This morning, she's waking up with Chirac."



On welcoming the team to the Elysee Palace on its return to Paris, the president spoke of the country's "admiration" and "affection" for Zidane, describing him as a "virtuoso... a man with a big heart".

As the response of the tens of thousands who turned out to greet the squad in the Place de la Concorde would suggest, the French are unlikely to turn against the man most see as the country's greatest ever player.

In the high-rise suburbs too, young people showed little sign that their hero's standing had diminished.

In Gennevilliers just outside Paris on Monday afternoon, 19 year-old Youssef spoke for several of his friends when he said "He's the best, he's a legend. I love him a lot, like everyone does here."

Zinedine Zidane has managed to unite the nation in a way that no politician French can dream of doing.

A second World Cup victory could have seen the carnival mood of the past couple of weeks continue throughout the summer.

But unlike 1998, not only has the final ended in defeat, rapidly deflating the nation's morale - it's also come at a time of continued economic uncertainty. When the French come back from their summer holidays, the black mood may return as once again they find their lives dominated by issues such as jobs and law and order.

From start to finish, the team's progress through the tournament has carried the French public along on a rollercoaster ride. It was good while it lasted.


World Class: Zidane apparently called "dirty terrorist"
Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:38 PM BST


PARIS, July 10 (Reuters) - France captain Zinedine Zidane was apparently called a "dirty terrorist" by Marco Materazzi before he head-butted the Italy defender in Sunday's World Cup final, the anti-racism group SOS Racism said on Monday.

"According to several very well informed sources from the world of football, it would seem that the Italian player Marco Materazzi called Zinedine Zidane a 'dirty terrorist'," SOS Racism said in a statement.

Zidane, the son of Algerian immigrants, was shown a red card after the incident and Italy went on to win on penalties after the match was tied 1-1 following extra time.

The Paris-based group called for an inquiry and said world soccer's governing body FIFA had recently toughened sanctions against racism.

"It's for this reason that SOS Racism asks in a determined fashion for FIFA to shed light on this altercation and that sanctions laid out in the official rules be applied should this be the case," SOS Racism said.

Neither Zidane nor Materazzi have spoken in public about what had passed between them before the incident. French television reported that Zidane would talk about the incident "in the coming days".

A billion people were watching the World Cup finals when French superstar Zinedine Zidane, in a moment of Gallic sanglant-intelligence, head-butted Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the chest. In a moment of Italian esagerazione, Materazzi flopped to the turf, writhing in a show of agony that would make a Verdi heroine jealous. The butt and the ensuing opera buffa got Zidane expelled, and Italy went on to win.





[Edited 7/10/06 23:02pm]

Zidane wins Adidas Golden Ball

Berlin, Germany (Sports Network) - Despite receiving a red card in the World Cup final, France captain Zinedine Zidane captured the 2006 adidas Golden Ball award.

The 34-year-old midfielder won the vote for the best player at this year's tournament by journalists from across the world. Italian skipper Fabio Cannavaro finished in second place, while teammate Andrea Pirlo came in third.

Zidane scored a seventh minute penalty kick during France's loss to Italy on Sunday, before being sent off the field in extra time for head butting Marco Materazzi.

The goal was Zidane's second converted spot kick in as many matches and was the fastest goal in a World Cup final since 1974. In the '74 match, the first goal was scored in just the second minute. With the goal, Zidane became the fourth player to score three goals in World Cup final history.

The final marked Zidane's last competitive match.

La paix d'adieu de Zidane soit avec toi.

I see he has his shorts on in this pic. For a while, for some reason, he was not wearing them

thesexofit said:

i saw that too!! i bet del piero is very happy he's wearing them now.

fantasyislander said:

I saw the sans short Italian player too! I was like.

july said:

The French Goalie was just waitin. If they had won. This guy probably would been all like this. Too!

july said:

he does have a very nice ass though.... and those footballers legs... mmm

I like these much better!

july said:

Ha, u gotta admire the balls to do that. I mean wwhy did he fele so possessed to show the worlds press his pants for? Iam glad u and fantasyislander noticed it too. We were cracking up.



Anyway, i felt sad on sunday night and monday as of course, its all finished. I said on this thread what my highlights were. And of course, the zidane moment was incredible



Heres perhaps one of the greatest world cup goals ever. Surprising but true.....

http://www.youtube.com/wa...20usa%2094

july said:

In the future these pics will be some of football's most symbolic snaps.

I don't give a fuck what you did in the 110th minute of the World Cup final, Zidane. You were the greatest and most gifted footballer since El Diego. Absolute class. Thanks for sharing your graceful magic with us.



Why the hell did I write that as if Zidane was actually gonna login and read it???



Joga bonito.

senik said:

joga bonito

[/quote]


Maybe thats true, but he did not deserver best player. I know these things are done before the final took place, but they shoulda taken what Zidane did into consideration. Having said that, alot of big names under-achieved big time.
[Edited 7/12/06 16:30pm]

thesexofit said:

Personally, for the duration of the whole tournament, I'd say Cannavaro or Pirlo. They were instrumental. But when the Old Master Zizou turned it on, boy, did he turn it the fuck on!

'...I had to edit your shit, thesexofit ' edit
[Edited 7/12/06 16:42pm]

fantasyislander said:

Sim! Joga bonito

Did you check out those videos I linked you?

My USA 94 mascot is gone now Shame, but now its all over, he had to go





Keep chasing that ball brother

thesexofit said:

It was great!

senik said:

Joga Bonito!

Zidane will always be a legend for good or bad or both. His story belongs to history.

senik said:

i watched some of it, didn't get to finish it. i'll check it out again. it was sooo cool!!

july said:

Yeah it was. U checked my youtube link?

thesexofit said:

Great it was. Checked youtube link. No.

Post World Cup withdrawal, fears and concerns



By Josh Simeone, Soccer Editor
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Is there medication for post World Cup withdrawal disorder?

I don't believe the New England Journal of Medicine has officially taken notice of this somewhat new and somewhat make believe disorder... but it should. Because after a month of watching soccer from the friendly confines of my office, which by the way is where I lived during the entire World Cup, I've found myself feeling lonely, afraid and confused.

It's been a long time since I've turned on my TV to ESPN only to see or hear no sign of Eric Wynalda's criticisms, a U2 song set to soccer highlights or video of England fans dressed up as knights.

Instead, ESPN is broadcasting coverage of this thing called the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which apparently is made up of the country's finest baseball players. For now, one can only assume that when the TV coverage goes away, soccer goes away, at least partially here in the United States.

We of course have Major League Soccer, which has quietly been progressing in the shadows of the world's biggest and best tournament, but as far as the average sports fan is concerned, MLS is a simple footnote to soccer on the international stage.

However, traces of the World Cup still linger, and will probably be around for weeks to come after the triumphant, bizarre, exciting and intense final match of the tournament. In 120 plus minutes of soccer, fans from around the world were treated to head butting, penalty kicks, shot after shot after shot on goal from the French, superb goalkeeping and finally a celebration fit for a king.

And fortunately, the news has continued, despite the final whistle being blown in the World Cup final. In the days and weeks to come, soccer fans can ponder the FIFA investigation into Zinedine Zidane's red card in extra time, his Golden Ball award, the odd officiating this past month and the U.S. team's future for manager Bruce Arena.

CHEERS OR JEERS TO THE GUY WITH THE GOLDEN SHOES

Beyond the exciting play in the World Cup final, most of the world appears to be still unable to forget the now infamous head butt that took place in the second half of extra time.

With a 1-1 tie and penalties just around the corner, Zidane, the French captain and 2006 hero entering the final, knocked Italy's Marco Materazzi flat on his back courtesy of a viscus head butt. The incident looked awful on television, and one can only imagine what it felt like for Materazzi on the field.

But despite the foul, which is a nice way to describe the captain's actions, Zidane was still awarded the tournament's Golden Ball award, which celebrates the tournament's best player. According to FIFA, more than 700 votes from journalists covering the event were cast, deeming Zidane the best in '06.

A day after, FIFA announced it would launch an investigation into the incident.

Zidane was a hero in France and the rest of the world for children and adults alike. He came back from retirement, and powered France to the final match in '06 after a dreadful 2002 that saw the team eliminated in the first round.

However, France left the field on a poor note that really had very little to do with the team losing the final match. Instead of remembering the country's triumphant return to soccer dominance, we are all remembering the "incident."

Since then, we've all been glued to our televisions, waiting for highlights of the head butt that sent Materazzi flying, the red card that ended Zidane's career prematurely and the stunned look of fans and players alike that followed when their hero was sent off for a disgraceful foul.

Perhaps Materazzi's reported insult was in fact awful, but that doesn't automatically redeem Zidane of all fault. Players in any sport, world wide experience the worst of insults, chants, flags and signs, all of which meant to make the duration of a sporting event an awful experience. Yes, racial insults, spitting even easily qualify as crossing the line, but unfortunately, it's the actions of the person who has been insulted that we always remember the most.

But just like everyone else, as hard as it is, players, fans, coaches and everyone in attendance has a responsibility of restraint. Unfortunately, Zidane failed to do that. So, remember him for his incredible play, his leadership and ability to bring a team together, but also remember him for Sunday's incident, his temper and his red card that should not be forgotten at the end of the legend's international career.

THE FUTURE OF SOCCER'S REFEREES

It's not fair to blame all of the negative aspects of this tournament on poor refereeing. Among the tournament's 64 matches, the Portugal-Netherlands match appeared to be the worst as far as officiating is concerned. In that match, a record 16 cautions and four red cards were issued by referee Valentin Ivanov.

It was an awful 90 minutes of soccer that had the potential to be one of the tournament's best. But as I've mentioned before, the results in that match should not fall solely on the shoulders of Ivanov. In fact, the ambush of red and yellow cards shown in this tournament should not be blamed just on the referees.

Instead, the blame should also fall on the shoulders of the players, the coaches and FIFA, who desperately needs to defend any and all of its referees.

Unfortunately, for Ivanov, FIFA did not offer any sort of public defense to its battered official.

In 2010, this needs to change. FIFA needs to stand by the decisions made by its referees, its employees. The league also must find a way to deal with diving, which continues to insult and ruin the continuity and integrity of the sport.

I'm not for installing instant replay into a match, which is a wild theory that has been mentioned as a solution. Using any sort of video technology inside of a soccer match would ultimately ruin the sport's continuous pace, a large factor that makes soccer so unique.

But perhaps there is a way to deal with a dive after the match by disciplining a player for their actions with a suspension or fine, another theory that has been raised recently.

Whatever decision is made, it should not be one that hurts or compromises the referees, who were just doing their jobs throughout the month of soccer. Yes, there is always room for improvement, but that doesn't mean the referees should receive the automatic blame.

SOCCER IN ITALY

The Italian victory was triumphant and exciting to watch, as a team that seemed forgotten throughout much of the tournament became the one we were unable to forget at the tournament's end.

Italy put together a superb defense with strong goalkeeping under the shadows of Brazil, Germany and Argentina. The results: possession of the sport's most sought after trophy and a title that will last forever.

However, the pride of Italian soccer has taken an unfortunate hit, one that even a World Cup championship can never overshadow. The match-fixing scandal was something that was unforgotten in the tournament, and something that will be unforgotten in the weeks, months and years to follow.

Just as Major League Baseball hasn't forgotten about the Black Sox scandal, Serie A, Italy's top division, will be unable to forget about the match-fixing scandal, which allegedly has included the country's top club teams and some of the world's top players.

But at the very least, Italy's fan base can remember a return to glory in 2006, something that also will never be forgotten.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The World Cup offered further proof to anyone unwilling to believe that soccer is by far the world's most popular and loved sport. The players are some of the world's finest athletes, as they are put to an ultimate fitness test in a game that is won based on constant jogging and bouts of sprinting that officially doesn't end until the 45th or 90th minutes.

Yes, we will remember 2006 for its negative aspects, but we will also remember 2006 for its great competition and even greater stories. We'll remember Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez receiving flowers from the Iranian team after the passing of his father.

We will remember the tears from David Beckham after the England great resigned his captaincy following the country's elimination from the tournament. We'll also remember Brazilian great Ronaldo earning his spot on the world's list of World Cup greats.

But most importantly, we'll remember watching soccer with friends, strangers and family, knowing that the sport has the ability to bring anyone and everyone together.

fantasyislander said:

Indeed, cool it most certainly was This is one of my personal favourites.... playing from the heart in the urban jungles, just like when we were kids... Joga bonito


Double click my football