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The Zidane game.

July 13th, 2006 | By: Noman Ansari | 80 Comments »

So I go ahead and call Zidane the greatest gentleman to ever play football and he goes and does something silly. It put a sour note on a match that France dominated and deserved to win.

Here is an interesting game for everyone who watched the final:

http://www.gougoule.com/zidane/

As for Argentina, I am proud of how the albicelestes played and gained new fans. Every neutral fan I talked to, was saddened at Argentina’s cruel exit. And they all expressed their admiration for the free flowing football we played, yet even the most ignorant of watchers were perplexed at the managers decision making… especially the one where Messi didn’t get a chance to play at the quarter finals.

In other news, Saviola is on the move and expressed his desire to play in the English Premier League. He says the ideal club for him would be Arsenal. I hope he does make a move there. The idea of him pairing with Henry is mouth watering.

Tags: Argentina, Football, France, Saviola, World Cup, Zidane

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Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 80 comments.

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By Alexa | July 19th, 2006 at 6:07 am

Pato did a great job in this WC. I’m still left wondering abot his injury in the Germany game. What really happened? WHy didn’t Klose get a foul called on him? Maradona completely criticized Pato for leaving the game, but if he was injured he wouldn’t have been any good there.

I also read an interview with Veron, and he really criticized Pekerman for the Subs in the Ger. game. I know the guy is controversial, and he seems to be a real problem, but his comments were quite honest and accurate, i thought.

I saw that Villarreal lost without the mundialistas, no riquelme or sorin or senna, etc. Does anyone know when those guys will be back with the team?

Posted from United States

By Alexa | July 19th, 2006 at 6:19 am

Probably heard this, but…

Saviola will not be going to Arsenal, so says Arsene Wegner or whatever that guy’s name is. I’m shocked to see that Saviola is only 24. I feel like I’ve heard about him all my life. Might go to Eidenhoven.

InterMilan is very happy with Julio Cruz, and they don’t want to lose him.

Heinze is perfectly happy at Man United. I can just imagine that locker room this season…Rooney, C.ROnaldo, Heinze. ?!??!

I think the riquelme move to man united is pretty much dead in the water, which is good, because I can’t imagine him being comfortable in that nuthouse.

Sorin is on his way out of Villareal, apparently he didn’t get along with the coach. Some are saying he’ll go to Stuttgart.

That’s all I know. I’ll post anything I find…

Posted from United States

By maxilopez | July 19th, 2006 at 12:17 pm

Julian, i just said Farias could progress even if i don’t expected as much as for Cavenaghi…

Posted from France

By maxilopez | July 19th, 2006 at 12:21 pm

Come on, i finally like El Pato, but Lux and Ustari are the future!

Posted from France

By Nick | July 19th, 2006 at 12:36 pm

Do you folks think el pato will play any role in 2010? The fellow’s already 33 years old…

Alexa, can you tell us a little bit more about Veron’s comments on the game with Germany?

As for Maradona saying that nobody should leave the field unless they have a bone broken, that’s just stupid…

I hope Riquelme doesn’t go to ManU either. It’s a pity Saviola isn’t going to Arsenal though. It would have been fantastic experience for him to play alongside Henry.

Posted from Australia

By AURELIUS | July 19th, 2006 at 12:36 pm

Hallo again everyone. Thanks alexa Nick Tuhin maxilopez & co for your kind words.

First of all about Redondo. Why is the guy a gentleman ? His conduct on the pitch was to play tough but fair.

His vision on the pitch was exceptional. This blog title mentions Zizou.Does anyone remember the CL final between Juve & Real Madrid ? Redondo completely outplayed Zizou at his peak.

Its such a shame because of injuries his career was stop start or else he would be mentioned in the same breath as even the legendary di Stefano.

Only Basile appreciated his gifts. Passarella was & is a fool. I’m sorry but he was an okay defender .His selfishness denied us the services of this great player at WC98.

Redondo may be his own man.He is erudite & educated & alwaysb had spare time for fans. At Real Madrid they rioted when they sold him.

And who would do this ? At AC Milan he missed almost 2 whole seasons with the knee injury that ended his career. He refused payment during the whole 2 years ! This in the era when players greed is out of control.

Gago as I said is smaller.This is what differentiates many European clubs.Small players are automatically given the cold shoulder as physicality is given first emphasis v-v skill.

Hence the number of what would be regarded as undersize players in the NT.

His work rate & passing ability & to read the opposition ae growing.

Then comes the question of where to go.Saviola would fit in at PSV.At the large clubs it depends on the players personality.A bad move could kill or stunt a players development.

So choice of club is vital & also the style they play.One might say a great player ought to be able to play in any team any where but that isnt true if the service to that player isnt forthcoming.

Such an example is Figueroas badly timed move to Birmingham City.This club play a long ball aerial game with very little passing or ingenuity.

Not at all suited to his game.It knocked his confidence which is coming back.

As for Cavenaghi the reason he wasnt picked by JP is lack of games at the top level. JP picked most of his squad from proven clubs who had been competing at the top level domestically & Europe wide (aside from Samuel/Zanetti which was mystifying Javier probably because he wasa strong supporter of that troublemaker Veron).

The Russian League isnt a good enough test & Cavenaghi though he scored in the CL for Spartak didnt play enough.

Coming back to Redondo I like Heinze decision as a man. T

Posted from United States

By AURELIUS | July 19th, 2006 at 1:14 pm

Sorry computer glitch ??

Heinze stuck with the club that looked after his rehabilitation despite the lucrative offer from Real Madrid.

As to goalkeepers its Lux & Ustari we should be focused on. Both are young with superb reflexes & for once good in the air(more so Ustari than Lux).El Pato should be thanked & retired internationally.

Same goes for the likes of Placente Bernardi(unlucky not to get in as well considering his great season with Monaco).

This just illustrates the wealth of talent in the team. He would have got into many other NTs with no problems.

2 young players to look out for are Mario Santana.He could if he keeps progressing as he has done be in for 2010 aged 28.5.

His future is uncertain at present though with Fiorentina where he has moved to from Palermo being relegated to serie B.

Also Leonardo Ponzio if he could work on his concentration which seems to go walkabout at time as with German Lux is a possibility to move up in the defensive pairings.

Other players still in with a chance are his team mate Galletti. If only he could recapture his form of 2004/5 he’d be back in contention with or as Maxis backup in 2010.

This is of course assuming that all the players eligible for this WC are on form or injury free in 2010.

As Alexa mentioned Gonzalo Rodriguez is he keeps progressing at Villareal ought to be there & thereabouts.Nice & relaxed on the ball & a hard tackler I’d pair him with Heinze whos more rough & tumble & Mascherano infront would be a tough nut to crack so long as the full backs are awake !

Then either Gago or Biglia with him infront.I’d prefer Gago as hes far better with the ball at feet than Biglia.

And finally do we need Maxi Lopez ? Hes quite good at times in an old fashioned sense as a ball winner & distributor.But at other times he can be vry bad.I think we’re better off with 2 paced midfielders infront of a Gago/Mascherano pairing.

One to step up the play & stretch the opposition the other to just find the space this stretching creates. Messi would be the runner & someone else the passer into space.

Maxi Lopez could be used upfront to hold the ball & help compete for it for his fellow striker but he must improve his consistency.Too many bad games & just a handful where he has contributed

Like Biglia his loan to Mallorca is just what is needed. Away from the big club he can stamp himself as the leader get proper playing time & hopefully the responsibility placed upon him will boost his game .

I think the price tag has weighed him down & the pressure too.

As for transfers Sorin who fell out with Pellegrini is also being chased by Tottenham & Ayala is being hunted by Villareal! Villareal seem intent on being an all South American team asthey are also hunting Colo Colos Matiaz Fernandez.And of course Mariano Barbosa is a candidate to the no.1 jersey with Lux & Ustari.

He seems pretty competent in the matches I saw him play in the CL.Excellent kicker & distributor of the ball too better than Lux in this regard .

Posted from United States

By maxilopez | July 19th, 2006 at 1:55 pm

Nice post Aurelius.

Some of our players will obviously have lot of time to improve. What a fantastic team we could have!

I just wanted to say that i was a bit sad for Placente. I believe he is still the most constructive LSW of the world. Football that i love. The Argentine one. short passes. Never loses a ball. What a player. And a great tackler! I like the way Pekerman led hes team but he made mistakes with not taking him to the WC. It wasn’t Lux’s or Placente’s fault against Brazil at Confederation Cup! Well it’s old stuff now.

By the way, Grondona confirmed today that Pek would not change his mind. I hope he won’t do bad choices.

Alexa, are you sure Diego said this concerning the Pato sentence?

What Diego says is always manipulated in newspapers. I still believe we need this guy for or team. Diego is heart. It would have been essential against Germany. Heart with Aimar, Messi, Tevez destroying Germans.

And he could also have the role of a Mourinho: always saying shit and let his players work with no pressure.

Vamos Argentina.

Posted from France

By Alexa | July 19th, 2006 at 4:30 pm

Hey guys-

Here is a link to Veron’s radio interview about the World Cup. He’s a true troublemaker, but he stuck up for my Riquelme….

http://www.radiosalta.com/noticia.php?idn=56360

I can’t find that Maradona interview, but basically he said that, as Nick commented, that a player shouldn’t leave the field , even if he’s basically dying, or something really extreme like that (this was in regards to Pato)

Thanks Aurelious, great info., as always.

Redondo sounds like a real old time gentleman.

Posted from United States

By pp | July 20th, 2006 at 2:26 am

Italia… campioni del mondo!!! woohoo!!

Posted from Canada

By Alexa | July 20th, 2006 at 5:12 am

pp-

Go back to your parents’ basement.

Posted from United States

By Charles Spurgeon | July 20th, 2006 at 1:22 pm

Where is redondo now? is he retired?

Posted from United States

By Tuhin | July 21st, 2006 at 1:34 pm

Redendo was a “classy” player bad luck for him passerella told him to cut short his hair & he refused in 1998

Posted from Bangladesh

By chris | July 23rd, 2006 at 2:53 am

yo man italy dominated the first half, so i dont understand why everyone is saying france dominated the game. FRance was lucky becuase the first goal was bulll materazlli did not foul the french player. Toni’s goal sould have been a goal in overtime, he was clearlly not offsides, But i do give it to zidane great carrer, jsut dont say italy was dominated the whole game

By MALVIKA | July 28th, 2006 at 9:48 pm

this is specialy 4 AGI,quite clearly u have no taste nor do u nw much bout football…thts y u have made tht statement…jst by the way ZIDANE ROX N MATERAZI IS A CHUT(wht v call a pussy)…totaly agree with u LMAO…ZIDANE ALL THE WAY!!

Posted from India

By ermin | August 12th, 2006 at 1:52 pm

ermin fazli hahahah hahaha hahah

Posted from Serbia And Montenegro

By Zerek | August 18th, 2006 at 12:19 am

First of all Zidane is a retard for doing what he did. It doesnt matter what anyone says on the soccer field you dont go and attack them. If you want you take them out with a slide tackle but what he did was unbelievably retarted. Not only did he embarass himself, but he also embarassed his country and his team. Thats the worst way to end what was a GREAT career. And dont get me wrong, Zidane is a great player but he made a stuiped choice and got what he deserved. A red card and a World Cup Final loss.

Posted from United States

By Alex | August 26th, 2006 at 8:49 am

LikeZidane.com displays the act of the World Cup of Soccer Headbutt heard around the world by French player Zinedine Zidane on Italian player Macro Materazzi.
The site contains comical and real media, videos, files, games, and more on the event.

By Alex | August 26th, 2006 at 8:50 am

By Essy Boy | November 16th, 2006 at 8:56 am

Soft! Only here!
Adobe-Photoshop-CS2

Posted from Mexico

By Kamran Yousaf | December 1st, 2006 at 4:11 pm

Oh i love You Zizou . i want to tell the people of whole world that ZINEDINE ZIDANE is one of the greatest Footballer in 100 years of Football world . he is a magician . I think he should be the World Footballer of the year 2006 because his great game in worldcup 2006 in Germany . I hope that Zizou must play for France in future .

Posted from Pakistan