Farewell Zidane!

[MCdread]

This thread is not intended at bashing the man. He ended his career in horrendous manner, and I'm sure no one regrets it more than him (unless he'll surprisingly comeback to clean his image). I'm also sure that right now it is hard to go past that action and see beyond that, but the fact remains that Zinédine Zidane, the best player of the past 15 years, the greatest reference of his generation ended his career today.
And behind what took place today, there remains that fantastic career of his, which I many will nonetheless remember dearly. I know that I will at least. He was the player I most admired in the past 15 years, and having watched him playing live with my own eyes has been the greatest moment I have experienced on a football stadium (and I have watched Figo, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo in his good days, etc.).
So, without condoning in any way the shameful way it all ended, merci Zizou for all the rest. Your football brilliance will be missed.

 

[CaptainF]

Indeed, the best for his generation.

Shame it had to end like that.

 

[jonatas]

Matterazzi must have said something about Zizou's mother...

What the hell did Materazzi say?

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

A fantastic player, and an inspiration to footballers everywhere. Wonderful career, wonderful player.

The ending was astonishing though - an act of thuggery in what was his final match, in which he had already scored and made his mark.

It would be a shame if this is what he is remembered for.

 

[Dell19]

Matterazzi must have said something about Zizou's mother...

What the hell did Materazzi say?

The commentators here did make the remark that things get said all the time on the pitch to wind up another player.

 

[jonatas]

The commentators here did make the remark that things get said all the time on the pitch to wind up another player.

It must have been especially horrendous to provoke that reaction, or Zizou is just plain crazy

 

[AceChilla]

Kluivert gave a headbutt in the match against Belgium in 1998 when someone called him a rapist and a murderer, that was refering to some of the many scandels revolving around him in the past....

I have no idea what Zidane's weak spot would be. But someones mother always works...

 

[the mormegil]

Matterazzi must have said something about Zizou's mother...

What the hell did Materazzi say?

I'm guessing something racist, I've heard there's some bad feeling between south europeans and north africans (zidane is moroccan).

 

[MCdread]

It must have been especially horrendous to provoke that reaction, or Zizou is just plain crazy

Maybe not, once in a while Zidane has lost his temper and did a couple of things like this, although naturally not on a regular basis. I remember the sent off in 1998, and the 2nd yellow card in the group stage against Korea at about the 90th minute was quite weird too. Anyway, Maradona was a much more controversial character, on and off the pitch, and he's mostly remembered for the football genius that he was. Imo, Zidane was the greatest after him. Besides the football brilliance, both will go down for a terrible career ending...

 

[jameson]

Merci Zizou, for all moments of beauty you brought to the game.

 

[Darth_Pugwash]

the mormegil: Zidane was born in Algeria IIRC.

The headbutt was a completley stupid thing to do, especially in a World Cup final.

Bad way to finish an outstanding footballing career.

 

[MCdread]

the mormegil: Zidane was born in Algeria IIRC.

Zidane was born in Marseille, France.

 

[woodelf]

Why not simply shove him down? Would that have gotten a red or just a yellow? The headbutt simply looked viscious.

 

[King Alexander]

Congratulations for a wonderful career and some magical moments we'll always remember! Farewell, Zinedine!

 

[CaptainF]

Maybe not, once in a while Zidane has lost his temper and did a couple of things like this, although naturally not on a regular basis. I remember the sent off in 1998, and the 2nd yellow card in the group stage against Korea at about the 90th minute was quite weird too. Anyway, Maradona was a much more controversial character, on and off the pitch, and he's mostly remembered for the football genius that he was. Imo, Zidane was the greatest after him. Besides the football brilliance, both will go down for a terrible career ending...

Ahh crap! Thinking about Maradona and Zidane both having similarly crappy career endings saddens me.

This means that Zidane will start sniffing a brick of coke every week, and become luridly obese.

 

[willemvanoranje]

.. and will shoot at reporters, then comes back for the 2022 World Cup (in Italy?) to cheer for France.

 

[kronic]

...and will see his team go out against Italy in the quarters.

 

[Dell19]

On penalties?

 

[willemvanoranje]

..after penalties And he'll only see the game on TV since his mate couldn't get in the stadium so neither did he.

 

[Hitro]

I don't think it really makes much sense to speak of the best footballer of all times or a generation, but Zidane surely was one of the best I have seen playing. At least he had the capability to do so and unlike many of the other "superstars" of his generation (think Beckham or Ronaldo) he really was a outstandingly superb football player.
A horsehockey way to end a career maybe, but then again also something to be remembered.