|
|
 |
 |
 |
Zinedine Zidane
It takes a special kind of player to commit a heinous physical assault in the biggest football match in the world, yet still be seen as the hero. Of course, the victim of the head-butt being Marco Materazzi will have helped Zinedine Zidane gain sympathy, but you get the feeling the Frenchman could have gone noggin-to-chest with Paolo Maldini and it still wouldn't have tainted his reputation.
Possibly one of only two men who could even begin to be spoken of in the same breath as Diego Maradona and Pele - the other being fellow Juventus alumni Michel Platini - Zizou made an indelible mark on Serie A in the late 1990s. His £3m transfer to Turin from Bordeaux, after taking them to the UEFA Cup Final and excelling for France at Euro '96, gave La Vecchia Signora a true successor to the black and white jersey of Platini. And while he will likely be better remembered for his days at Real Madrid, it was the five years at the Stadio Delle Alpi which allowed him to develop into a Galactico.
As part of Marcello Lippi's classic Bianconeri outfit, ZZ was integral in the side's journey to consecutive European Cup Finals in 1997 and 1998. He followed that double disappointment up with a Player of the Tournament display at the 1998 World Cup, where he and teammate Didier Deschamps ensured that Serie A had a major impact on another Mondiale.
While he finally earned his Champions League medal with the Liga club, his most successful years were on the peninsula. The two Scudetti, an Italian Super Cup, European Super Cup and an Intercontinental Cup bettered his haul with the Spaniards, while his individual accolades were mainly earned with the Zebrette. European Footballer of the Year in 1998, he also claimed two of his three World Player of the Year crowns before leaving the peninsula for Iberia.
However, for all his glorious twists, turns, tricks and skills, it will be that phenomenal loss of composure against the Azzurri during the 2006 World Cup Final that will now be his legacy. It is ironic that the negative full stop at the end of his story came against Italy, the country where I believe he blossomed into the third best player of all-time. Hero to villain, the Gallic genius will always be intrinsically linked with calcio and it was an honour to witness his breathtaking talent during his time with Juventus.
|
|
| Words: Steve Wilson |
|
| <150 Home> |
|
|
|
 |
|
February 2008
Issue No 150
A bumper 116-page anniversary edition which will stir a few memories.
Click here for contents
|
|
|
|
