France’s World Cup took off against Spain in Hanover as long ago as June 27.
It was a space shuttle moment : we have ignition….. we have lift-off !
They were 1-0 down for thirteen minutes and then Patrick Vieira released Frank Ribery on an electric run through centrefield and Ribery dribbled round keeper Casillas and scored the goal that sent Les Bleus flying down the road towards Berlin.
That goal came from a new player who had confidence in his explosive pace, came from an exciting move, came just before half-time, in 41 minutes.
Since then France and Franck and Claude and Pat and Zizou have never looked back.They thrashed Spain 3-1 and then beat Brazil when the unmarked Henry volleyed in from three yards
Before the Spain game, against Togo, it was Ribery who gave Vieira the pass for the first goal in their 2-0 win.
So Ribery is a big game player. He has played a role in the revival of Zidane and Vieira. His speed, energy and drive have helped to lift the old boys back to their heroic best.
Zidane and Vieira have been majestic, Gallas and Makelele have killed attacks like expert assassins, Abidal and Malouda have grafted reliably, Thuram has played well apart from that reckless penalty-conceding tackle on Pablo, which gave Spain the lead.
France were in charge after Ribery’s goal and they have never looked back
Zidane may be the Emperor of this World Cup, but Patrick Vieira is the prophet.
On Thursday June 22, after two draws and before the Togo game, Vieira warned that a revival might happen.
In a poll of 192,000 fans in L’Equipe, taken after two group games, 57% of fans did not think France would qualify. Did not think they would beat Togo !
“If we get through,” said Patrick, ” people might be surprised,”
What an understatement that was by Pat, who has been talking a great World Cup as well as playing one.
“We simply don’t take enough risks,” said Pat. “We go out there with defence in mind, and we’ve been playing with the handbrake on. If we could just force the pace and score goals, you’d see a more liberated France on show. That’s what we desperately need, to be freed up.”
As Arsene Wenger said after that 2-0 win, great players don’t die as quickly as people think.
DO PORTUGAL HAVE A CHANCE TONIGHT ?
Well, Barthez is better than Ricardo, Sagnol is far better than Miguel, Thuram is better than Mieira, Gallas is better than Carvalho, Abidal is better than Nuno Valente, and so on.
What Cristiano Ronaldo promises, Ribery delivers.
Even the artful,crafty Deco would not get into the French team till Zidane retires.
So how can Big Phil’s boys win tonight?
Portugal are a workmanlike side who play to a strict system and their skills make the team look more attractive than it really is.
Even with an early goal, I can’t see them winning.
Not unless France under-perform dramatically.
On Zidane, Thuram says, “All he’s doing is playing like Zidane,”
But Ribery says, “I can tell my grandchildren I played with Zizou.”
If you have a long memory you know that the maestro’s tournaments have always alternated between been heaven and hell.
In Euro 96 Zidane arrived burned out after Bordeaux’s exploits in the Inter-Toto Cup. I did not realise how exhausted he was and thought : This guy won’t get a game for Juventus !
In 1998 he wins the World Cup and has his image projected on the Arc de Triomphe, and in 2000 he wins again in a fabulous final against Italy, which might have been the finest international match of the last 20 years
.In 2002 Zidane was a cripple in a complacent team and in 2004 he placed the ball on the spot against England, vomited with nerves, and scored.
In Germany on 2006 his rejuvenation has amazed the entire football world.
ZIDANE combines the body of a bear with the mind of a fox. A big man with surreal skills, he strides through games, flicking balls over the heads of his opponents, smiling quietly as he writes new chapters in what might soon become football’s most astounding fairytale.