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Worthy final France is deserving champion in thrilling Euro 2000 finale
Posted: Sunday July 02, 2000 06:02 PM
Two men lay motionless, incredulous among the jubilation of Rotterdam's De Kuip stadium, seconds after David Trezeguet's rocket slipped under Francesco Toldo's crossbar. Alex Del Piero was one. Slumped on his knees, head in hands, he looked as if his universe had caved in on him. Maybe he was reflecting on the two chances he had missed in the second half; maybe he was just too exhausted to function. Roger Lemerre was the other. As his players ran on to the pitch to celebrate, he remained rooted to the dugout, chest heaving, expression inscrutable. Sometimes too much emotion can do that to you. It looked as if he had lost all motor functions, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Two men, two different ways of reacting to one of the most incredible European finals in recent memory. But the common thread is the game. We had just witnessed a wonderful ending to an amazing tournament. Don't let the naysayers tell you otherwise. Don't let them speak platitudes of "the beautiful game"; don't let them imply that this was anything but a worthy final. Italy showed that the art of defending is not lost. It showed that there is more than one way of playing. It showed that a fast, direct counterattack remains one of the most potent offensive weapons. But it simply wasn't enough overcome France. Not this France anyway, not this team, which joins Germany in 1974 as the only country capable of calling itself champions of Europe and of the world at the same time. From the start, you could tell it was going to be a different story from the semifinal. Italy, while remaining alert defensively, did not erect its usual defensive catennaccio. France left Thierry Henry up front as the lone striker, allowing Christophe Dugarry to float in from the left and Youri Djorkaeff and Zinedine Zidane to advance through the middle. There were plenty of incidents, loads of potential turning points. Henry's fortuitous shot-cum-cross caromed off the post. Marcel Desailly was lucky to escape unpunished after a wild elbow on Fabio Cannavaro. At half-time, it was still scoreless, and when Italian boss Dino Zoff sent on Alex Del Piero for Stefano Fiore, it became increasingly difficult to trot out the old catennaccio argument. Ten minutes after the break, when Francesco Totti's brilliant backheel allowed Gianluca Pessotto to put in a picture-perfect cross for Marco Delvecchio to convert, many thought it was all over. Surely the Italian barricade would hold, as it had against Holland. Surely, if anything, Italy would find a way to punish France on the break. Not this time. Del Piero missed two great chances, opportunities to put the game beyond reach. At this level, if you miss, you are punished. And that's what happened. Less than a minute remaining in stoppage time when substitute David Trezeguet powered into the Rotterdam sky to win the header that allowed Sylvain Wiltord to tuck the ball under Toldo. That man Trezeguet would decide the championship some twenty minutes later. It was he who volleyed Robert Pires' sharp cross into the top corner and sent France into ecstasy. Again. France's great merit was that it was stronger, mentally and physically, on the night. It was too easy to see the Azzurri hanging on for victory. It was almost too logical that they would win after Delvecchio's goal. And, to be fair, they probably played better throughout the game. But France played better throughout the tournament and that is why they are worthy winners. Italy has turned efficient counterattacking into an art form. It's a different way of playing, one that was harshly criticized by some people who believe soccer should be only about entertaining. Notwithstanding the fact that players like Totti and Del Piero can be as entertaining as any twosome in Europe and that, to people who understand soccer, intelligent movement and skillful defending are equally pleasing to watch, this kind of thinking runs counter to what the game is all about. If you want entertainment, go to a movie. If you want to see competition, flair, grit, intelligence -- watch soccer. Italy played its version of soccer as well as anybody, but France's way of playing proved superior in the end. Does this mean that France is the best team in Europe? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe Holland would have blown the Bleus away in the final. But that's not the point. Unlike Holland, France found a way past Italy. Unlike Holland, France didn't miss penalties. And unlike Holland, France showed the mental toughness needed to win. Plus, the French were lucky. They were lucky Desailly wasn't sent off; they were lucky Del Piero wasted clear-cut chances; they were lucky Wiltord was in the right place at the same time. But there is nothing wrong with that kind of luck. Theirs is the luck of the champions.
You cannot win if fortune is not on your side. And that kind of luck is the kind of luck that teams create for themselves. The fact that Italy probably deserved to win that final just as much should not tarnish France's achievement in any way. Lemerre's men are the worthiest of champions, but, more than that, they did what Italy could not do: they got the job done. London-based Gabriele Marcotti writes a weekly column on international soccer for CNNSI.com. To submit questions or comments to Gabriele Marcotti, click here.
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