December 6, 2022 • 24 mins
Zidane ended his career with a bang. A sternum-rattling headbutt, actually.
There’s a snide bit of symmetry to it: A World Cup final won by two Zidane headers, and a World Cup final lost after Zidane headed someone in the chest. He walked in silence past the trophy he would never hold again, down the tunnel, and into infamy. In between those career-defining moments, he played some gorgeous soccer. No one else made trapping a ball look quite so sexy. Maybe no one else ever will.
The Best Soccer Podcast In The World is a bilingual podcast that tells your soon-to-be favorite soccer stories. The host, Nando Vila, will crack open some of the most iconic World Cup moments, putting them in cultural and geopolitical contexts. From legendary players to silly hairdos, to heart-wrenching losses.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
The World Cup. That's where players announced themselves, heroes are born,
legends first whispered, and crowns forged. That's where kings of
soccer are anointed. Yet no one understood and exemplified the
myth making quality of the World Cup quite like Zenidine Zidan,
from his arrival in the public consciousness to his final
(00:35):
sternham rattling exit as a player. Oh my, what that is? Extraordinary?
Hand back to the chest and mertranci. A shameful incident
that Monksy's last acts on a football failed, the last
match of his career, irrectably tarnished. Let me set the
(00:56):
scene for you. It was Dan's last game as a player,
the final of the two thousand and six World Cup,
Italy versus France, and the stakes were deliriously mind bogglingly high.
Between them, they've won full World Cups that combined record
just one defeat in the last fifty one internationals. The
two thousand and six ft World Cup journey started a
(01:18):
month ago in Munich, son I, and here in Berlin
will find out who will take Brazil's crown and earn
the right to call themselves the champions of the World.
The goals came quickly. Is he done? Who else? Scored
a penalty barely a handful of minutes into the match,
but Matazzi, Italy's backup central defender, only starting because of
Nesta's injury, equalized a dozen minutes later, and that's how
(01:43):
it stayed. A tense, gripping final. Slipping past ninety minutes,
the match stumbled into extra time, whereas the Don's header
brought a stunning reflex save from Ganluigi buffun and five
minutes later it happened. I'm still not quite sure why
to call its poss He done, turned and walked down
(02:09):
the tunnel. It was his last action as a player,
his last impact on the field, still reverberating down spine
and into French fans stomachs. The game went to penalties.
It all comes down to this. Twelve years ago, Ruberta
Bancio missed from the spot in the final against Brazil.
(02:30):
But if Fabio Grosso can put this penalty away, then
the a jury will win the World Cup. Today, cha
that Italy won the World Cup almost feels like a
footnote to the real moment. Zidan's moment, the king of soccer,
abdicating his throne. This is the story of everything leading
(02:54):
up to that moment. I'm Nando Vila and this is
the best soccer podcast, best in the world. Goes with him,
but it's still Christiano Ronaldo. Yes, he wanted to say
(03:20):
I wanted in the Italian team. Wonderful. That is a
never sin has he done. Was a different sort of
(03:44):
soccer player. What a player cheese For a guy who
never talked very much, he certainly made a lot of noise.
And look and you won. I mean, do you want
a lot, you choose a lot. There's no question. People
that either played with him or played against him would
be the first people to tell you that he was
operating on a different plane. A swan that graced across
(04:05):
the pitch, pulling off moves that may have seemed slow
but were nonetheless lethal, always with the ball glued to
his cleats. He had amazing control in capacity with both feet.
A technical prodigy with a deep understanding of the game, which,
in the end is what allows a player to transform
individual mastery into a collective legacy. As much as possible.
(04:29):
Sites in Spain, but there are not many players. Sedan
always reserved and introverted, but with a sense of humor
and warmth for those close to him. Zidan was overflowing
with technique, but it came from a place of icy determination.
Here's former US player Alexei Lawless. Zaddan was the quiet
(04:50):
or silent assassin. And it was almost as if he
played with um, a belief that it was almost beneath
him to even be there with you. And you know
that that beautiful arrogance. I almost feel like Zaddan. There
were times where his fury and his anger on the
field was because it was so easy for him and
(05:12):
that he was operating on a different plane. That's how
good he was. Lawless is now a pundit for Fox Sports.
Let's start from the beginning. At sixteen years of age
in May of nineteen eighty nine, a slender Frenchman debut
in League on. Soon after, he signed a historic contract
(05:34):
with Giandine de Bauldeux. There under the wing of big
names that would accompany him for the rest of his career,
such as Bassu and Christop Duary, he began his rise
to the peak, specifically in a nineteen six quarterfinal match
against Milan. After losing two nil in the away game,
the French side turned the tables in the home leg
(05:54):
with a score of three nil. Zidan was already in
star mode. It's a it's like he's his balanced for
Big Bundas He's just incredible. Zdon's prowess led Bordeaux, a
modest but renowned team, to the WEFA Cup final against
the powerful Bayern Munich. His team lost, but Zidon earned
(06:16):
himself a contract with Juventus. He would hone his talents
in what was at the time the world's best league,
and during his first season he reached the final of
the Champions League but lost to brush A doormand the
(06:36):
following year more of the same. He once again reached
the Champions League final, only to lose against Real Madrid.
It seemed like Siddon needed a big win to get
over the hump and enter the pantheon of truly great players,
and that summer he had the perfect opportunity. World Cup
was coming to France, but the managerial decisions on the
(06:59):
national team left a lot of questions more about what
happened next after the break in France wasn't a particularly
flashy team. It was a pretty defensive side and famously
(07:22):
lacked a truly elite goal scorer. World Cups started smoothly
enough for France with a three nail win over South Africa.
In the second game against Saudi Arabia, is he Don's
temper flared up and he stomped on an opponent. So
(07:43):
people forget is that Don gets himself sent off against
Saudi Arabia and it's not like they go and dominate
after that. But you know, against Italy, it's the coast
of penalties they get through in in in the semifinal.
But I think a little bit of good fortun This
is Gabriele Marcatti who covered this World Cup. He's now
(08:04):
a senior writer for ESPN. Zidan rejoined the team and
France was able to beat Italy and penalties thanks to
a sublime Fabian Bartz intervention. During the semifinals, France once
again pulled off an epic performance in order to beat Croatia,
and who was the great revelation of the tournament. He was,
(08:28):
by no means the star of the tournament. The best
player in the World Cup was Brazil's Ronaldo, who Zidan
would face in the final, and that Brazil team was
stacked with a lineup that also included Rivaldo and Babeto Brazil,
the reigning world champion, was the favorite to win, but
Zidan let the ball speak for him. France gained the
(08:55):
upper hand in the final with a header from Zidon.
It was surprising because Dan was not known for his
aerial prowess, and moments before the halftime whistle, let's s
eight sit down. With the whistle blown and France clearly
in the ascendancy, the first half of the match was over,
(09:15):
the hosts led to nil and the team followed the
lead of captain Dide de Jamp total commitment in the
second half with the Manuel Pettit widening the gap on
the scoreboard. Many high break citizen Palace Mr pros. On July,
(09:39):
Champ lifted the World Cup trophy, but all of the
lights of the sun Denny Stadium shown on zenas Dun's
gleaming bald head. He was probably not the best player
in the tournament, but he played the decisive role on
the most important day. And then in the final, you
know he delivers the wind. But again that's the final
where there's the whole Ronaldo street. However, like only the
(10:01):
greatest players are able to do, z Don inextricably linked
his name with the most momentous goals on the grandest stage,
and beyond the goals, he was truly great in the final.
You can go on Twitter and see compilations of Zaddon's
best players in that game, and he really bosted. From
that moment on, whenever he set foot on the field,
the attention of the world would turn toward him over
(10:23):
anyone else. The power of a World Cup had been
unleashed on the world's greatest star. When you live the
power of a World Cup, it provides opportunities. Alexei Lawless
had stormed into global consciousness four years earlier when the
United States hosted World Cup. I am a living example
of the power of a World Cup and what it
can do and how it can change an individual. And
(10:45):
you recognize it to a certain extent at the time,
and then when it's done, you really recognize it. Two
years later, France entered to the two thousand euro Cup.
Second place in the group stage was good enough to
qualify for the quarterfinals, where they met Spain. Raoul's botched
penalty in the waning minutes of the match preserved France's
(11:06):
lead and run in the Cup. Later in the semifinals
against Portugal, Zidon delivered an operatic performance, crushingly beautiful, a
ballet of impossible controls and roulettes. To get around defenders.
He would set himself up as a decoy shimmy back
stop time pirouette in the air like a dancer. Fine
(11:27):
dragged the ball behind his legs and surged down the
flanks and showing his strength as well as technique. I
want the flag and he just over hit the final bowl.
But they crowd appreciate it was a symphony. The harmonies
took the form of through balls and chess traps while
turning in the air. There has seldom been such an
(11:48):
accumulation of technical prowess on the field. Even when he
took a tumble to save a critical play, he managed
to keep his uniform absolutely spotless, and he crowned the
performance by taking the decisive penalty ki at the dred
seventeenth minute in extra time. She does trying to tell
him the final, but you don't go up dramatical circumstances.
(12:17):
The Italian team awaited in the final. It was a
genuinely extraordinary team that drew first blood through Marco Veco,
but one of the newcomers Sylvan will Toward popped up
and forced extra time at the last possible moment. Now
in extra time, after a finally poised duel throughout a
remarkably young Davitt scored the golden goal hunting down across
(12:39):
from the left. After leading his team to another title
and earning a place in the history books, Zidan cemented
his status as the world's biggest soccer star. That's why
Ferandino Bettev sought him for his Galactico project at Real Madrid.
In the summer of two thousand and one, Zidan landed
in Madrid as the most expensive transfer in history seventy
(13:00):
eight million euros, a shocking fee at the time, Baby
Beckham and see dam oh goodness, gracious may that is
absolutely magnificent. And during his first season he won all
(13:20):
big years, the very same Champions League that had eluded
him on two different occasions with Juventus. Naturally, he wanted
the only ways he don knew how, through poetry and
power down. When it get his second of the night,
Oh the classics, with apologies to Marco van Boston, he
don scored one of the best volleys in all of
(13:40):
history without letting the ball touch the ground. He perfectly
positioned his body so that Carlos's lab would tee up
a shot on goal, and then he spun. Gravity and
physics paused momentarily to allow z Don to score perhaps
the most iconic goal in the history of the Champions
League Final. Once again, his foot seemed touched by a
magic wand to Roberto karnost it pops out to Sadan
(14:08):
a moment of magic inspiration from sen it into that.
We'll now fast forward to April two thousand and six,
when Zidon announced his retirement. Z Don explained that the
strain on his body had finally become too much. However,
his last months would be devoted to the World Cup
(14:29):
and his laser focus would be aimed at one last
epic moment lifting the two thousand and six World Cup
before retiring. Who wrote it for Frank's He'll smack it here,
Ducher plenty forward here it's danger chance of a second
number four sane for Chocole so tied to breaking points
(14:55):
Steger who looks like scoring every time the election. France
stumbled into the round of sixteen to play Luis Arragones Spain,
but France was still France and Zidan was still Zidon,
even if the Spanish press insisted on questioning their credentials.
The French ended up beating Spain one to three, thanks
(15:15):
in large part to the Great Zoo. During the quarterfinals,
the matchup was particularly imposing France versus Brazil, order versus
joy On, re versus Ronaldo Zdan versus Ronaldinho, in other words,
(15:37):
one last stab at success versus embracing the future. The
game was a clash of titans, and France barely made
it through little by little, and even though Brazil had
players like a god Juno Ronaldo Ronaldino, France edged the
balance of play, or, more accurately, Zidan started taking over
and pulling the strings. And to think that coach Carlos
(15:59):
Alberto Barreida designed his strategy to shut down Zidan. What
he couldn't avoid was that Zidan would deliver a particularly
venomous free kick after a foul. It sailed straight to
the far post to be finished off by on read.
France ended up winning by a score of one nail.
On the day, people wanted Zidan to fade away and
(16:20):
pass the crown tout On, he reminded everyone that the
King had not yet vacated his throne. His performance proved
that for the duration of his reign he would spend
it unmatched. During the semifinals, France came up against an
old foe from the two thousand euros Portugal and the
former Betty's goalkeeper Rita So it was. Portugal summoned an
(16:45):
outstanding performance but couldn't manage a goal. It was the
only opponent who had gone toe to toe with France
up to that point, and a single isolated moment derailed
the entire endeavor. We got knocked over on red inside
the penalty box and Zidon took the penalty. Against all odds,
(17:07):
France would compete in another World Cup final, only eight
years after the previous one. France faced Italy, which had
overcome Germany in a memorable semi. Two unexpected finalists, two
aging rosters that went through hell and back in order
to set foot in the Berlin Olympic Stadium on July nine,
two thousand and six. But before we get into the final,
(17:30):
we should take a brief detour. A few days prior
something may have forever changed the course of events. Medina Canto,
the Spanish representative who refereed the France Brazil match in
the quarterfinals was shaping up as a strong candidate to
ref the final, but in the end the match was
given to the Argentinian Rascio Elisundo and his two trusted assistants.
(17:50):
Daio Garcia Medina was selected as the fourth official. On
July nine, at eight pm local time, with the referees
lined up and the players ready, Dasco and he saw
those whistle pierced the air. The match quickly picked up
steam and seven minutes in a penalty call went in
(18:12):
favor of France. Down here to go, how cheeking. Only
one of the worlds great great players would attempt anything,
that's all Day said that, but he nearly paid the penalty.
In a moment full of tension and suspense, Zidane dared
to take a panenka in the World Cup final. It
(18:33):
paid off and the ball flew in, but the joy
didn't last long. Ten minutes later, an unexpected character stormed
into center stage. He was not even supposed to start
in the tournament, but had taken Alessandronista's place, who was
out of commission with an injury. The moments of instant
(18:54):
redemption even the score, but France was on the attack.
The names repeated over and over again by the commentators
were Canavado and Buffon, the heroes of the resistance. But
the most important commentary was the one that was happening
over in the referees walkie talkies. With both teams so
evenly matched, the game went to extra time. It was
(19:15):
a delicate moment, heart stopping for the fans. France and
Italy were both showing signs of exhaustion, but neither team
would budge. Play after play, both teams exchanged attacks until
at the ten minute mark, the game and the world
watching screeched to a halt. More about what happened next.
After the break near the Italian box, where the corner
(19:49):
had just been cleared, two straggling players seemed to me
in the middle of a heated argument that is exer
hand back to the chest and match. After exchanging words, Suddenly,
in surprisingly Zidan headbutted in the chest hard. The altercation
was so blindingly fast that practically no one saw it.
(20:11):
The ball had been some distance away for some time,
and the referee and everyone else frankly was looking the
other way. Keep in mind that in two thousand and
six Video assistant referees or v a R hadn't been
implemented yet, so a headbut in the World Cup final
was about to go unpunished because no one was looking
at that part of the field. That is, until the
(20:31):
fourth referee speaks up through the walkie talkie, a Spaniard,
the referee who was supposed to oversee the final in
the first place. In a matter of ten seconds, Zidan's
life changed. The line of destiny was irrevocably altered by
an abrupt event still difficult to understand, which modified the
(20:54):
vital curve of Zdan and that of his team. Meanwhile,
the commentators were watching the replay on their monitors, which
showed what everybody had missed in real time without protests.
Zidon walked off the field a sullen look on his face.
The pictures tell the story Zidan marching off to the
(21:15):
locker room, inches away from the World Cup trophy. He
left without looking at it, riddled with guilt and the
certainty that he wouldn't be able to hoist it. We
all felt it, and to the detriment of the French team.
The same feeling permeated the penalty shootout. But what actually happened,
What exactly did he say to draw such a severe
(21:37):
reaction out of Zidan in such a critical moment. Zidan
explained himself after the tournament in one of the few
public occasions in which he has discussed the subject. He
spoke to Canada Blues France and explained how he underscored
the viciousness of Matati's words and how words can be
more damaging than actions. Zidan also apologized for his behavior,
(22:01):
I'm going for um. Matazi later recounted his side of
the story on Instagram Live. After the corner because he
had grabbed the don's jersey, Zesus sneered and said he'd
give him his shirt after the match. Martazi clearly didn't
appreciate the gesture, because he replied quote, I'd rather have
(22:23):
your sister than your shirt. Perhaps he done, even if
he didn't know it at the time, was nudged by
the universe in a different direction. He couldn't let his
career end on such a sour note. The truth is
the game became a semicolon rather than a period. A
glorious career tied up neatly in a bow with the
(22:44):
World Cup win in his final match instead, a new
timeline opened. This is FO announcing as he done as
the new coach of Real Madrid. In I'd like to
announce that the Real Madrid Board of Directors has decided
to appoint Scena Insidan as the new first team coach.
(23:06):
He was a legend as a player and is already
a legend as a coach. He's transcended into myth only
talked about in hushed tones. A halo and the crown
retroactively adorns his every impossible trap, every crucial goal, every
stumble and every redemption, every twist of fate. Looking out
(23:30):
from a face of common poise, Zidan left an indelible
mark on those of us who think of soccer as
more than a sport a performance piece, as art where
beauty counts double. The Best Soccer Podcast in the World
is a production of Exiled Content Studios in partnership with
(23:50):
I Hearts Michael da Podcast Network, and is hosted by
me Nando Vila, produced by An and Zach Lee Rigg,
written by act Lee Rigg and Fit Meanswat. Production assistance
by Stella Emmett. Our executive producers are Isaac Lee Rose
Reed and myself named Avila. Our executive producers at I
Heart are Gisel Bances and Arlene Santana. Sound designed by
(24:13):
Uglo Mendoza Are Awesome. Theme song is by lu j
Special thanks to all of the voices that participated in
this episode Alexi Lalas Marganti. For more podcasts, listen to
the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows.
The World Cup. That's where players announced themselves, heroes are born,
legends first whispered, and crowns forged. That's where kings of
soccer are anointed. Yet no one understood and exemplified the
myth making quality of the World Cup quite like Zenidine Zidan,
from his arrival in the public consciousness to his final
(00:35):
sternham rattling exit as a player. Oh my, what that is? Extraordinary?
Hand back to the chest and mertranci. A shameful incident
that Monksy's last acts on a football failed, the last
match of his career, irrectably tarnished. Let me set the
(00:56):
scene for you. It was Dan's last game as a player,
the final of the two thousand and six World Cup,
Italy versus France, and the stakes were deliriously mind bogglingly high.
Between them, they've won full World Cups that combined record
just one defeat in the last fifty one internationals. The
two thousand and six ft World Cup journey started a
(01:18):
month ago in Munich, son I, and here in Berlin
will find out who will take Brazil's crown and earn
the right to call themselves the champions of the World.
The goals came quickly. Is he done? Who else? Scored
a penalty barely a handful of minutes into the match,
but Matazzi, Italy's backup central defender, only starting because of
Nesta's injury, equalized a dozen minutes later, and that's how
(01:43):
it stayed. A tense, gripping final. Slipping past ninety minutes,
the match stumbled into extra time, whereas the Don's header
brought a stunning reflex save from Ganluigi buffun and five
minutes later it happened. I'm still not quite sure why
to call its poss He done, turned and walked down
(02:09):
the tunnel. It was his last action as a player,
his last impact on the field, still reverberating down spine
and into French fans stomachs. The game went to penalties.
It all comes down to this. Twelve years ago, Ruberta
Bancio missed from the spot in the final against Brazil.
(02:30):
But if Fabio Grosso can put this penalty away, then
the a jury will win the World Cup. Today, cha
that Italy won the World Cup almost feels like a
footnote to the real moment. Zidan's moment, the king of soccer,
abdicating his throne. This is the story of everything leading
(02:54):
up to that moment. I'm Nando Vila and this is
the best soccer podcast, best in the world. Goes with him,
but it's still Christiano Ronaldo. Yes, he wanted to say
(03:20):
I wanted in the Italian team. Wonderful. That is a
never sin has he done. Was a different sort of
(03:44):
soccer player. What a player cheese For a guy who
never talked very much, he certainly made a lot of noise.
And look and you won. I mean, do you want
a lot, you choose a lot. There's no question. People
that either played with him or played against him would
be the first people to tell you that he was
operating on a different plane. A swan that graced across
(04:05):
the pitch, pulling off moves that may have seemed slow
but were nonetheless lethal, always with the ball glued to
his cleats. He had amazing control in capacity with both feet.
A technical prodigy with a deep understanding of the game, which,
in the end is what allows a player to transform
individual mastery into a collective legacy. As much as possible.
(04:29):
Sites in Spain, but there are not many players. Sedan
always reserved and introverted, but with a sense of humor
and warmth for those close to him. Zidan was overflowing
with technique, but it came from a place of icy determination.
Here's former US player Alexei Lawless. Zaddan was the quiet
(04:50):
or silent assassin. And it was almost as if he
played with um, a belief that it was almost beneath
him to even be there with you. And you know
that that beautiful arrogance. I almost feel like Zaddan. There
were times where his fury and his anger on the
field was because it was so easy for him and
(05:12):
that he was operating on a different plane. That's how
good he was. Lawless is now a pundit for Fox Sports.
Let's start from the beginning. At sixteen years of age
in May of nineteen eighty nine, a slender Frenchman debut
in League on. Soon after, he signed a historic contract
(05:34):
with Giandine de Bauldeux. There under the wing of big
names that would accompany him for the rest of his career,
such as Bassu and Christop Duary, he began his rise
to the peak, specifically in a nineteen six quarterfinal match
against Milan. After losing two nil in the away game,
the French side turned the tables in the home leg
(05:54):
with a score of three nil. Zidan was already in
star mode. It's a it's like he's his balanced for
Big Bundas He's just incredible. Zdon's prowess led Bordeaux, a
modest but renowned team, to the WEFA Cup final against
the powerful Bayern Munich. His team lost, but Zidon earned
(06:16):
himself a contract with Juventus. He would hone his talents
in what was at the time the world's best league,
and during his first season he reached the final of
the Champions League but lost to brush A doormand the
(06:36):
following year more of the same. He once again reached
the Champions League final, only to lose against Real Madrid.
It seemed like Siddon needed a big win to get
over the hump and enter the pantheon of truly great players,
and that summer he had the perfect opportunity. World Cup
was coming to France, but the managerial decisions on the
(06:59):
national team left a lot of questions more about what
happened next after the break in France wasn't a particularly
flashy team. It was a pretty defensive side and famously
(07:22):
lacked a truly elite goal scorer. World Cups started smoothly
enough for France with a three nail win over South Africa.
In the second game against Saudi Arabia, is he Don's
temper flared up and he stomped on an opponent. So
(07:43):
people forget is that Don gets himself sent off against
Saudi Arabia and it's not like they go and dominate
after that. But you know, against Italy, it's the coast
of penalties they get through in in in the semifinal.
But I think a little bit of good fortun This
is Gabriele Marcatti who covered this World Cup. He's now
(08:04):
a senior writer for ESPN. Zidan rejoined the team and
France was able to beat Italy and penalties thanks to
a sublime Fabian Bartz intervention. During the semifinals, France once
again pulled off an epic performance in order to beat Croatia,
and who was the great revelation of the tournament. He was,
(08:28):
by no means the star of the tournament. The best
player in the World Cup was Brazil's Ronaldo, who Zidan
would face in the final, and that Brazil team was
stacked with a lineup that also included Rivaldo and Babeto Brazil,
the reigning world champion, was the favorite to win, but
Zidan let the ball speak for him. France gained the
(08:55):
upper hand in the final with a header from Zidon.
It was surprising because Dan was not known for his
aerial prowess, and moments before the halftime whistle, let's s
eight sit down. With the whistle blown and France clearly
in the ascendancy, the first half of the match was over,
(09:15):
the hosts led to nil and the team followed the
lead of captain Dide de Jamp total commitment in the
second half with the Manuel Pettit widening the gap on
the scoreboard. Many high break citizen Palace Mr pros. On July,
(09:39):
Champ lifted the World Cup trophy, but all of the
lights of the sun Denny Stadium shown on zenas Dun's
gleaming bald head. He was probably not the best player
in the tournament, but he played the decisive role on
the most important day. And then in the final, you
know he delivers the wind. But again that's the final
where there's the whole Ronaldo street. However, like only the
(10:01):
greatest players are able to do, z Don inextricably linked
his name with the most momentous goals on the grandest stage,
and beyond the goals, he was truly great in the final.
You can go on Twitter and see compilations of Zaddon's
best players in that game, and he really bosted. From
that moment on, whenever he set foot on the field,
the attention of the world would turn toward him over
(10:23):
anyone else. The power of a World Cup had been
unleashed on the world's greatest star. When you live the
power of a World Cup, it provides opportunities. Alexei Lawless
had stormed into global consciousness four years earlier when the
United States hosted World Cup. I am a living example
of the power of a World Cup and what it
can do and how it can change an individual. And
(10:45):
you recognize it to a certain extent at the time,
and then when it's done, you really recognize it. Two
years later, France entered to the two thousand euro Cup.
Second place in the group stage was good enough to
qualify for the quarterfinals, where they met Spain. Raoul's botched
penalty in the waning minutes of the match preserved France's
(11:06):
lead and run in the Cup. Later in the semifinals
against Portugal, Zidon delivered an operatic performance, crushingly beautiful, a
ballet of impossible controls and roulettes. To get around defenders.
He would set himself up as a decoy shimmy back
stop time pirouette in the air like a dancer. Fine
(11:27):
dragged the ball behind his legs and surged down the
flanks and showing his strength as well as technique. I
want the flag and he just over hit the final bowl.
But they crowd appreciate it was a symphony. The harmonies
took the form of through balls and chess traps while
turning in the air. There has seldom been such an
(11:48):
accumulation of technical prowess on the field. Even when he
took a tumble to save a critical play, he managed
to keep his uniform absolutely spotless, and he crowned the
performance by taking the decisive penalty ki at the dred
seventeenth minute in extra time. She does trying to tell
him the final, but you don't go up dramatical circumstances.
(12:17):
The Italian team awaited in the final. It was a
genuinely extraordinary team that drew first blood through Marco Veco,
but one of the newcomers Sylvan will Toward popped up
and forced extra time at the last possible moment. Now
in extra time, after a finally poised duel throughout a
remarkably young Davitt scored the golden goal hunting down across
(12:39):
from the left. After leading his team to another title
and earning a place in the history books, Zidan cemented
his status as the world's biggest soccer star. That's why
Ferandino Bettev sought him for his Galactico project at Real Madrid.
In the summer of two thousand and one, Zidan landed
in Madrid as the most expensive transfer in history seventy
(13:00):
eight million euros, a shocking fee at the time, Baby
Beckham and see dam oh goodness, gracious may that is
absolutely magnificent. And during his first season he won all
(13:20):
big years, the very same Champions League that had eluded
him on two different occasions with Juventus. Naturally, he wanted
the only ways he don knew how, through poetry and
power down. When it get his second of the night,
Oh the classics, with apologies to Marco van Boston, he
don scored one of the best volleys in all of
(13:40):
history without letting the ball touch the ground. He perfectly
positioned his body so that Carlos's lab would tee up
a shot on goal, and then he spun. Gravity and
physics paused momentarily to allow z Don to score perhaps
the most iconic goal in the history of the Champions
League Final. Once again, his foot seemed touched by a
magic wand to Roberto karnost it pops out to Sadan
(14:08):
a moment of magic inspiration from sen it into that.
We'll now fast forward to April two thousand and six,
when Zidon announced his retirement. Z Don explained that the
strain on his body had finally become too much. However,
his last months would be devoted to the World Cup
(14:29):
and his laser focus would be aimed at one last
epic moment lifting the two thousand and six World Cup
before retiring. Who wrote it for Frank's He'll smack it here,
Ducher plenty forward here it's danger chance of a second
number four sane for Chocole so tied to breaking points
(14:55):
Steger who looks like scoring every time the election. France
stumbled into the round of sixteen to play Luis Arragones Spain,
but France was still France and Zidan was still Zidon,
even if the Spanish press insisted on questioning their credentials.
The French ended up beating Spain one to three, thanks
(15:15):
in large part to the Great Zoo. During the quarterfinals,
the matchup was particularly imposing France versus Brazil, order versus
joy On, re versus Ronaldo Zdan versus Ronaldinho, in other words,
(15:37):
one last stab at success versus embracing the future. The
game was a clash of titans, and France barely made
it through little by little, and even though Brazil had
players like a god Juno Ronaldo Ronaldino, France edged the
balance of play, or, more accurately, Zidan started taking over
and pulling the strings. And to think that coach Carlos
(15:59):
Alberto Barreida designed his strategy to shut down Zidan. What
he couldn't avoid was that Zidan would deliver a particularly
venomous free kick after a foul. It sailed straight to
the far post to be finished off by on read.
France ended up winning by a score of one nail.
On the day, people wanted Zidan to fade away and
(16:20):
pass the crown tout On, he reminded everyone that the
King had not yet vacated his throne. His performance proved
that for the duration of his reign he would spend
it unmatched. During the semifinals, France came up against an
old foe from the two thousand euros Portugal and the
former Betty's goalkeeper Rita So it was. Portugal summoned an
(16:45):
outstanding performance but couldn't manage a goal. It was the
only opponent who had gone toe to toe with France
up to that point, and a single isolated moment derailed
the entire endeavor. We got knocked over on red inside
the penalty box and Zidon took the penalty. Against all odds,
(17:07):
France would compete in another World Cup final, only eight
years after the previous one. France faced Italy, which had
overcome Germany in a memorable semi. Two unexpected finalists, two
aging rosters that went through hell and back in order
to set foot in the Berlin Olympic Stadium on July nine,
two thousand and six. But before we get into the final,
(17:30):
we should take a brief detour. A few days prior
something may have forever changed the course of events. Medina Canto,
the Spanish representative who refereed the France Brazil match in
the quarterfinals was shaping up as a strong candidate to
ref the final, but in the end the match was
given to the Argentinian Rascio Elisundo and his two trusted assistants.
(17:50):
Daio Garcia Medina was selected as the fourth official. On
July nine, at eight pm local time, with the referees
lined up and the players ready, Dasco and he saw
those whistle pierced the air. The match quickly picked up
steam and seven minutes in a penalty call went in
(18:12):
favor of France. Down here to go, how cheeking. Only
one of the worlds great great players would attempt anything,
that's all Day said that, but he nearly paid the penalty.
In a moment full of tension and suspense, Zidane dared
to take a panenka in the World Cup final. It
(18:33):
paid off and the ball flew in, but the joy
didn't last long. Ten minutes later, an unexpected character stormed
into center stage. He was not even supposed to start
in the tournament, but had taken Alessandronista's place, who was
out of commission with an injury. The moments of instant
(18:54):
redemption even the score, but France was on the attack.
The names repeated over and over again by the commentators
were Canavado and Buffon, the heroes of the resistance. But
the most important commentary was the one that was happening
over in the referees walkie talkies. With both teams so
evenly matched, the game went to extra time. It was
(19:15):
a delicate moment, heart stopping for the fans. France and
Italy were both showing signs of exhaustion, but neither team
would budge. Play after play, both teams exchanged attacks until
at the ten minute mark, the game and the world
watching screeched to a halt. More about what happened next.
After the break near the Italian box, where the corner
(19:49):
had just been cleared, two straggling players seemed to me
in the middle of a heated argument that is exer
hand back to the chest and match. After exchanging words, Suddenly,
in surprisingly Zidan headbutted in the chest hard. The altercation
was so blindingly fast that practically no one saw it.
(20:11):
The ball had been some distance away for some time,
and the referee and everyone else frankly was looking the
other way. Keep in mind that in two thousand and
six Video assistant referees or v a R hadn't been
implemented yet, so a headbut in the World Cup final
was about to go unpunished because no one was looking
at that part of the field. That is, until the
(20:31):
fourth referee speaks up through the walkie talkie, a Spaniard,
the referee who was supposed to oversee the final in
the first place. In a matter of ten seconds, Zidan's
life changed. The line of destiny was irrevocably altered by
an abrupt event still difficult to understand, which modified the
(20:54):
vital curve of Zdan and that of his team. Meanwhile,
the commentators were watching the replay on their monitors, which
showed what everybody had missed in real time without protests.
Zidon walked off the field a sullen look on his face.
The pictures tell the story Zidan marching off to the
(21:15):
locker room, inches away from the World Cup trophy. He
left without looking at it, riddled with guilt and the
certainty that he wouldn't be able to hoist it. We
all felt it, and to the detriment of the French team.
The same feeling permeated the penalty shootout. But what actually happened,
What exactly did he say to draw such a severe
(21:37):
reaction out of Zidan in such a critical moment. Zidan
explained himself after the tournament in one of the few
public occasions in which he has discussed the subject. He
spoke to Canada Blues France and explained how he underscored
the viciousness of Matati's words and how words can be
more damaging than actions. Zidan also apologized for his behavior,
(22:01):
I'm going for um. Matazi later recounted his side of
the story on Instagram Live. After the corner because he
had grabbed the don's jersey, Zesus sneered and said he'd
give him his shirt after the match. Martazi clearly didn't
appreciate the gesture, because he replied quote, I'd rather have
(22:23):
your sister than your shirt. Perhaps he done, even if
he didn't know it at the time, was nudged by
the universe in a different direction. He couldn't let his
career end on such a sour note. The truth is
the game became a semicolon rather than a period. A
glorious career tied up neatly in a bow with the
(22:44):
World Cup win in his final match instead, a new
timeline opened. This is FO announcing as he done as
the new coach of Real Madrid. In I'd like to
announce that the Real Madrid Board of Directors has decided
to appoint Scena Insidan as the new first team coach.
(23:06):
He was a legend as a player and is already
a legend as a coach. He's transcended into myth only
talked about in hushed tones. A halo and the crown
retroactively adorns his every impossible trap, every crucial goal, every
stumble and every redemption, every twist of fate. Looking out
(23:30):
from a face of common poise, Zidan left an indelible
mark on those of us who think of soccer as
more than a sport a performance piece, as art where
beauty counts double. The Best Soccer Podcast in the World
is a production of Exiled Content Studios in partnership with
(23:50):
I Hearts Michael da Podcast Network, and is hosted by
me Nando Vila, produced by An and Zach Lee Rigg,
written by act Lee Rigg and Fit Meanswat. Production assistance
by Stella Emmett. Our executive producers are Isaac Lee Rose
Reed and myself named Avila. Our executive producers at I
Heart are Gisel Bances and Arlene Santana. Sound designed by
(24:13):
Uglo Mendoza Are Awesome. Theme song is by lu j
Special thanks to all of the voices that participated in
this episode Alexi Lalas Marganti. For more podcasts, listen to
the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows.
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