Sport | Football

Zidane has always been ruled by his demons and pride

  • By Tom Clifford, Assistant Editor, International
  • Published: 00:00 July 10, 2006
  • Gulf News

The day after the morning after for France, but there will be mourning for years to come after Zinedine Zidane's hot-headed moment.
There will be ruing on the rues, but Zidane will not be holding his head in shame. His own demons would head-butt him for any hint of apology.

His head has dominated two World Cup finals. He stooped to head in a couple against Brazil in 1998 and then stooped a lot lower in Berlin. Berlin is a cabaret city but rarely has it witnessed such a show-stopping performance.

Zidane's personality was honed amid the neglected public housing estates of Marseilles, a place where shyness is ill-appreciated.
Cannes were the first club to recognise his talent but, incredible to believe now, they doubted his heading ability.

Ironic, when you consider how he used his cranium.

He has amassed the medals and tributes with vision and technique featuring prominently in any summary. But Zidane carries within his frame one other attribute: pride.

"You never get tired of winning. It doesn't matter whether I'm playing football, tennis, or any other competition," he often said.

He is also a bit of a loner. Shortly before the Portugal semifinal, he took some time out to reflect on his hotel balcony and lit up a cigarette. In an era when footballers are multi-million dollar commodities, there was something endearing, almost Corinthian, about a player lighting up before a big match.

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He is in contact with an inner voice. He claimed last year that he had been informed by a presence in the middle of the night to reconsider his original decision to retire after France's wretchedness in 2002 and 2004.

Les Bleus brothers - Zidane, Claude Makelele and Lilian Thuram - had all retired. But Zidane, in the role of Peter Pan, was able to persuade the remnants of the ancient regime to take part in one more campaign for the 'Grand Armee.'

Zidane, again reacting to his demons, had been sent off against Saudi Arabia in 1998 for trampling on an opponent. He returned to secure the final in Paris.

Four years later, an injury kept him out of the campaign in South Korea until it was beyond salvaging amid the ignominy of the defending champions not even managing to score a single goal in the finals.

After 108 matches and 31 goals for France, Zidane has earned his nation's gratitude. And he has time to reflect, possibly with a cigarette, the palpable presence of history.

This match was meant to exorcise the stadium where Jesse Owens, 70 years previously, had been snubbed.

Now, it will be remembered for another legend.

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