I LOVE Zinedine Zidane’s style of play.
In 1995 I realised how good Zidane was when I asked our 1994 centreback Marcio Santos about his clubmates at Bordeaux.
Marcio Santos told me, “Dugarry and Lizarazu are good players, but this Zidane is amazing.” Those were prophetic words, as Zidane scored the goals that won the World Cup in Paris three years later.
But despite this I don ´t rate Zidane as best French player ever because Platini was better. I agree with Gianni Agnelli, the richest man of Italy and owner of Juventus, who paid the wages when both played there. When the lad from Marseille became a galactico at Real Madrid, Agnelli said, “I’m going to miss Zidane, but he was more fun than useful.”
People here like to devalue the French title in 1998, remembering Ronaldo’s problem, and because France were the hosts when they beat us 3-0 in that final.
However, I don ´t agree with that view. In my opinion the best qualities of that French team was their defence and Didier Deschamps, who was like Makelele in his tactical duties.
But today you can ´t forget the age of Thuram, who is 34, and the fact that Gallas-Makelele don ´t have the same stature as Desailly-Deschamps,
My greatest source of concern on Saturday will be Franck Ribery. This fellow didn’t have any caps before Germany and is showing a terrific personality in all his games so far.
By Alex Abreu Gontijo