DAY 23
Zidane magic
Dan Nicholl
Posted Thu, 06 Jul 2006

Flick back through the internet, when you have a moment, and read some of the comments made in the French media during the opening weeks of the tournament about their national team, and coach Raymond Domenech. Then compare them to the comments being made now, with France through to the final; you might notice a slight difference…

Last night was always going to disappoint one of the two elder statesmen of the European game, although just making onto the field after an injury scare was a triumph for Luis Figo. In the end, though, he had to cede the honour of a farewell in the final to his old team-mate from Real Madrid, who is playing as well as he ever has, after a slow start to the tournament.

Zinedine Zidane’s penalty made the difference on the scoresheet, but it was more than just a spot kick that stamped the Madrid star on the match. He’s quitting the game on Sunday, and on the back of two stellar performances, there’s every chance of a second World Cup medal finding its way into the Zidane trophy cabinet before the week is out.

No second trophy for Luis Felipe Scolari, though, the run of success finally coming to an end for the man who took Brazil to the title four years ago. He came a lot closer than most people thought he would this time, and Ronaldo’s early effort suggested two in a row might have been on the cards; in the end, though, France won an almighty battle, and Sunday offers the ultimate redemption after the humiliation of 2002.

Dan’s pick of the day

Veteran in his mid-30s, with his best days behind him? Try telling Zinedine Zidane, who started the World Cup looking every bit his age and more, but is now looking a teenager — or he did until the final whistle, when he was no more than a kid, caught up in the magic of the moment. And who’d bet against more of the same come Sunday?