Sport | Football
Zidane will bow out at the apex of his career
"Don't Do It Ali." The headline in Boxing News summed up everything you fear about great sportsmen who cannot leave the spotlight alone.
- By Tim Rich, Telegraph Group
- Published: 00:00 July 8, 2006
Berlin: "Don't Do It Ali." The headline in Boxing News summed up everything you fear about great sportsmen who cannot leave the spotlight alone.
It was 1980 and, to the desperate anxiety of those who cared about his reputation, Muhammad Ali was trying to regain the world heavyweight title at 40.
He barely threw a punch against Larry Holmes, much less landed any. It is how the sporting gods usually take their leave of Olympus.
Bobby Moore, Pele and Franz Beckenbauer played out their twilight in the slightly unreal world of American soccer. George Best's slurred goodbyes were delivered at Dean Court, Bournemouth. Ian Botham kept wicket as Durham's fixture with Australia petered into tedium.
But not Zinedine Zidane. tonight evening in the Olympic Stadium, he will say farewell to football on the grandest stage.
And yet even when Zidane, who had retired from international football after the defeat by Greece in Euro 2004, returned to the French colours there were many who were afraid.
"When he scored the goal against Spain in the second round, I felt a wave of relief," reflected Jean-Pierre Escalettes, president of the French FA.
"He had given so much to the sport and I was convinced it would end badly."
It so nearly did. It seemed his final match might be the 1-1 draw with South Korea that could have seen France eliminated before the knockout stages. He was substituted by Raymond Domenech and walked off without offering his manager so much as a glance.
Zidane's final season with Real Madrid had been unhappy. The optimism he had felt when club president Florentino Perez handed him a napkin in a Monaco restaurant on which were written the words: "Do you want to play for Real Madrid?" had long since dissipated.
He was said to be frustrated by the disintegrating galactico system and with his own game. France's opening group matches appeared merely a continuation of this.
And then, first against Spain and then in the quarterfinal against Brazil, Zidane's game took glorious flight, confirmed in the semifinal against Portugal with a nerveless penalty. He was back for his finale.
And when Zizou takes his leave in Berlin, win or lose, there will be no regrets.
Share this article
Popular in Sport
-
Golf
Realistic hope
Briton, on verge of turning 29, is among the fancied four for title
Sport Editor's choice
-
Westwood in control
Englishman grabs two-shot lead as Harrington pays price for double-bogey on Earth course
-
Stojakovic leads Hornets to victory
New Orleans, under new coach Bower, hand Phoenix their third loss of the season
-
Harrington: Hit and miss
Harrington drops lead after a double bogey on the 18th, shares second spot with six others in Dubai World Championship
