Swift Superstar Of The Week

When the World Cup draws to its conclusion on Sunday night the onlyfootballer regarded in the same league as Pele and Maradona will wave his finalfarewell to an adoring world. He has won plaudits, cups and championships, oftensingle-handedly, but his greatest achievement cannot be quantified. In an age ofdefence-minded coaches and long-ball tactics, Zidane showed the virtues ofattacking with precise passing, near perfect awareness and total mastery overthe football. The wizard from Marseille will pull on his France shirt one finaltime, and fittingly it will be on the biggest stage in the world, the final ofthe most-watched World Cup in history. 

The stories of all great people are littered with anecdotes. When Zidane wasstarting out, his Algerian roots meant he was qualified to play for eitherAlgeria or France. The coach of Algeria at the time did not give him a spot,arguing the youngster was "not fast enough." Algeria’s loss was France’sgain. On his debut for Les Blues in 1994, entering as a 63rd minute substitutewith France two goals behind to a strong Czech Republic team, he scored twice todraw the game. A legend was born.

In the 1998 World Cup, after being sent off against Saudi Arabia (for a viciousfoul after an opposing player allegedly used an Arabic slur about his nomadicancestors) he returned in spectacular fashion. Two headed goals in the finalagainst the favourites Brazil brought his name to the attention of the world andFrance their first World Cup title. 

Glory followed with Juventus at club-level and in 2001 he became one of RealMadrid’s first ‘galacticos’ for a transfer fee of 66 million euros, themost expensive player in history. He justified this expenditure in the sameyear, scoring the breath-taking winner in the Champions League final that year. 

His displays in this World Cup have been erratic, as he struggled to find hisbest form in the group stages and again served a one-game suspension. But it wasin the knockout stages that he began to assert his talent. First against Spainand then Brazil, Zidane demonstrated that even at 34 he remains one of thefinest. He was not at his inventive best against Portugal but when the crucialmoment arrived it was he who shouldered the responsibility. His coolly-takenpenalty proved decisive. Whether this genius bows out in triumph or with tearsin his eyes, those who have seen him play will remember him forever.