Azurri trounced Allianz: "these boots are made for walkin' and I'm gonna walk all over you ...." or "I'll boot your butt, Frank!" and "I'll butt your chest, M!" Whatever ....
"Zizou remains a hero to the fans"
9 July 2006 by Reuters
Disappointed fans paid tribute to retiring France captain Zinedine Zidane on Sunday and refused to blame him for their team's FIFA World Cup™ Final defeat by Italy after he was sent off for head-butting an opponent.
The Avenue des Champs Elysees in Paris, the traditional theatre for displays of national joy, was cast as Heartache Avenue as thousands of sad Les Bleus fans milled around the celebrated thoroughfare in dazed silence.
Four women sat outside one bar in the capital's historic Latin Quarter with tears streaking the red, white and blue national flags painted on their faces as defeat, and the prospect of footballing life after Zidane, sank in.
"It's a very sad exit for Zidane," said Vincent Schneider, 24, after watching the game in Paris's Latin Quarter. "He was the major actor in the World Cup. He was under too much pressure."
Zidane's dismissal in extra-time for a head butt into the chest of Italy defender Marco Materazzi ensured he missed a tense penalty shootout which Italy won 5-3 and killed hopes of a fairytale ending to a glittering career.
However for his fans, from President Jacques Chirac downwards, the talismanic playmaker known as 'Zizou' remains a footballing icon.
"I don't know what happened, why he was punished," said Chirac, who was in Berlin for the Final. "But I would like to express all the respect that I have for a man who represents at the same time all the most beautiful values of sport, the greatest human qualities one can imagine, and who has honoured French sport and, simply, France."
http://expertfootball.com/players/zidane/
Random football quote "It's the first time it's happened to me and maybe the last. It's a strange sensation, not normal for me. I can't remember scoring three goals, even when I was a kid." Zinedine Zidane, French player, after scoring three goals against Sevilla in 2005
Zinedine Zidane was born on the 23rd of June in 1972. His parents of Algerian descent had a total of five children. As a kid, school was not his strongest asset so he turned to football. By the age of 16, a scout by the name of Jean Varraud recruited the youngster to Cannes. One year later, Zizou made his debut in the French First Division. He was signed by Bordeaux in 1992. With his new club, Zidane reached the UEFA Cup final in 1995/96 and attracted the attention of European powerhouse Juventus. After his move to Italy, trophies started to to pour in. By 1996, Ziziou had the UEFA Cup, the European Supercup and the Intercontinental Cup under his belt. He also won the Italian Calcio twice in a row during 1997 and 1998. During the same two seasons, his club managed to reach the Champions League final twice.
When Real Madrid purchased Zinedine Zidane in the summer of 2001, he became the most expensive player of all time. The Spanish club paid a whopping $66 Million for his transfer. In the 2001/02 season, the Frenchman led Real to a Champions League title scoring a spectacular winning goal in the final.
In international competition, Zidane entered the spotlight after carrying his national team to their first World Cup title in 1998. He eventually helped them win their second European title at EURO 2000.
At World Cup 2002, France was eliminated in the first stage. Zizou was struggling with an injury at the time and watched most games from the sideline. Two years later, at EURO 2004, Zidane's country failed to impress again and were knocked out by tournament surprise Greece.
Individually, Zinedine Zidane has been given every major award that a player can achieve. He has won the precious Balon D'Or in 1998 and the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 1998, 2000 and 2003.
Currently, Zinedine Zidane is one of the most skillful players in the game. He can settle and distribute almost any ball thrown in his direction. In individual encounters, Zidane prefers to shield the ball and dribble away from pressure. A master technician, he can apply his skills in any situation and make it look effortless.
Quick Facts
Name Zinedine Zidane
Starting Number #5
Born 23 June 1972 in Marseilles, France
Nationality French
Height 185 cm / 6'2" feet
Weight 80 kg / 176 pounds
Family Status Married to a Spanish dancer named Veronique with two kids: Enzo (named after Enzo Francescoli) and Luca
Foot Both
Teams Cannes (France)
Bordeaux (France)
Juventus (Italy)
Real Madrid (Spain)
Nicknames Zizou
Skills All-round player, control, dribbling, passing, creativity
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