 When Zinedine Zidane breezed into the press room wearing a spanking new France training top, all seemed well again in the world of French football. Photographers crowded the elegant midfielder, who shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with journalists he had not seen for a year. Zizou was back and yet it felt like he had never been gone.
Memories of heady nights at the Stade de France and in Rotterdam came flooding back and, for a moment at least, Les Bleus’ plight to qualify for Germany seemed little more than a formality. Then Raymond Domenech arrived, short-fused and irritable as ever, and the reverie was broken as the harsh reality of the situation returned with a thud.
On the eve of Zidane's eagerly-anticipated comeback against the Ivory Coast, channel4.com's Matt Spiro paid a visit to Montpellier to hear what the man himself had to say.
How does it feel to be back with Les Bleus?
“I’m happy to be back. I’ve had the chance to catch up with some old friends. Of course some of the new players and I don’t know yet, but everyone has given me a warm welcome. It feels good.”
Do you have the impression that some of the younger are shy in your presence?
“No. They may be relatively new to international football but they are all established players who play in big clubs. They’re used to being surrounded by big-name players so there is no reason that they should feel shy with me.”
Do you regard yourself as a new player?
“No. I haven’t been gone that long. I still have strong memories of playing for France. For me, it feels like a continuation of the adventure. Of course there are plenty of new faces but there are also a lot of players who played at Euro 2004. Now all I’m interested in is helping the team secure World Cup qualification.”
How did the u-turn come about?
“I met the Coach two or three times to discuss my situation but it was a decision that I made myself. It’s fair to say that the fact the Coach came to see me initially got me thinking more and more about it. It was important first and foremost to know that the Coach wanted me to return, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it. Once I knew that was the case, it was a question of making a choice.”
For how long had you been thinking about returning?
“It wasn’t something that I’d calculated a while back. I started considering it seriously when the Coach came to see me at the end of last season. Then lots of things happened during the holidays and I decided I wanted to come back. I want to re-live some of the amazing experiences I have had with the France team.”
Do you feel that you are under pressure to rescue France’s qualifying campaign?
“I don’t feel any extra pressure. I’m taking a risk in coming back but if I had been worried about failing then I’d have stayed in retirement. Frankly, I don’t regret the decision at all. Seeing the pleasure that my decision has given already to so many people in France, I am really pleased I took it.”
How do you feel about being captain?
“I’ve already been captain under Jacques Santini, so it’s not something new for me. I had a meeting with the Coach and with [the former captain] Patrick Vieira, and we agreed that this was the right thing to do. A good leader is someone who talks all the time. I don’t talk much at all. Ranting at my teammates has never been my thing. Maybe I’m not a natural leader. But ever since I was a young player I’ve tried to lead by example and that’s what I’ll do again. Of course I’ll need to talk about some important things such as tactics. But I’m not going to interfere with the Coach’s job.”
What do France need to do to turn their campaign around?
“Win. It’s as simple as that. We need to find solidarity and team spirit because if we have that then I think our quality is good enough. They haven’t been far off winning matches. I have watched the games and I feel as though the team never got that little bit of luck you need at this level. But there is no doubt that we have plenty of good players who play well every week for their clubs. International football is different and it takes time to adjust. Unfortunately we don’t have any time.”
The key game could be against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on September 7. What do you think of the Irish team?
“I saw them play France in Paris and they left a very good impression on me. They’re a strong side and it’s not a coincidence that they are top of the group. Of course it is going to be a tough, physical match in Dublin but hopefully we’ll be up to the task.”
Ireland’s star player Roy Keane also came out of international retirement. What memories do you have of playing against him?
“I have a lot of memories of playing Roy Keane. Juve’s match (in the Champions’ League semi-final) against Manchester United in 1999, of course. He’s someone I appreciate a lot. He’s such a tough player. But he has always been fair when I’ve played against him, even if he has dished out a few kicks. Seriously though, you have a salute a player like that when you look at the career he has had, both with Manchester and with Ireland.”
Are there any Irish players you like to have with you at Real Madrid?
“Well, let me see… hmmm… we’ve already got a lot of players, so it would be difficult to find space for someone. No, not really.”
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