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'We proved we had great players'
Zidane leads France to pinnacle of soccer glory
Posted: Sunday July 12, 1998 06:41 PM
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Zinedine Zidane, right, scored on two head balls in the first half and controlled the midfield throughout the France's 3-0 world cup victory (AP) |
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) --
French President Jacques Chirac had the right premonition. Coach Aime
Jacquet had the right analysis.
The result sounded like a dream to an elated nation of 60 million: France
3, Brazil 0
-- La France Champion du Monde. With panache to spare.
Chirac had predicted all along he would hand the World Cup to captain
Didier Deschamps. Jacquet said all along France would only win if it was
powered by the genius of Zinedine Zidane.
"We proved we had great players," said French coach Aime Jacquet.
Playmaker Zidane scored on two headers in the first half, ran the
Brazilians ragged in midfield with Brazilian skills and left it to France's
standout defense to close out the defending champions in the second
half.
And with 10 men for the last 22 minutes against the overwhelming
favorites, this bunch did not crack, not after all they had been through.
They simply wanted their first World Cup more than Brazil wanted its
fifth.
"We won this title because we wanted it the most," said Jacquet.
And after showing so much flair yet so little lethal finishing throughout
the tournament, France killed off Brazil with two opportunistic headers on
mundane corners.
In the final minute, a fast break put the icing on the cake, playing
Brazil out of position and standout midfielder Emmanuel Petit scored with
an 18-meter drive.
The 80,000 crowd at the Stade de France was shouting "Zizou," turning him
in France's greatest World Cup hero. He took over that mantle from Michel
Platini, the World Cup organizer who was cheering from the honorary
box.
On a day when nothing would go wrong against many of the greatest players
in the world, Ronaldo was reduced to a shadow of his reputation by the
smothering defense.
His best chance, in the 57th minute, also drew the best save from Fabien
Barthez.
And even when Barthez was beaten, Marcel Desailly, the symbol of France's
unyielding last line, kicked it off the line.
When Desailly as sent off with 22 minutes to go for a second yellow card,
France was without its whole central defensive axis since Laurent Blanc was
already sitting the final because of a red card in the semifinal.
Physically, emotionally, France remained an impregnable bastion. "It was
the result of hard work and we proved it on the field," said Jacquet.
When the team needed it, even the often blase crowd at the Stade did its
work, cheering its heart when in possession and blaring out the
Marseillaise when the going got tough. "Le Jour de Gloire," the Day of
Glory had truly arrived.
After the players complained they saw far too many suits and ties in the
stands, the message got through to the stands and many of the fanciest were
dressed in all blue. Chirac wore a huge blue scarf and World Cup organizer
Michel Platini even wore a blue jersey under his suits.
Few samba beats were heard on this most French night.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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