France 4

 

Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid, ESP)
vs. Italy (1:1; 3:5 pen) | World Cup | 2006 in Germany

When I grew up, football was all about Ronaldo (the Brazilian one), Zidane and maybe a bit of Figo. In fact, my first two football shirts were cheap fake Zidane and Ronaldo shirts from a Czech border market. Together with Ronaldinho and weirdly Roberto Carlos, Zidane was by far my favourite player throughout my childhood. French football, for me, was Zidane.

Then came the 2006 World Cup. I was 18 at the time, finished school, served at a fan fest and started my mandatory time at the army - all during the tournament. It was probably the first tournament in which I actually supported Germany, as they were meant to be terrible, but suddenly played in incredible tournament with a bunch of young guns like Podolski, Schweinsteiger or Lahm, who just really started their careers at the time. Yet, I also watched every single French match, knowing it will be the last time I can see Zidane play. He didn't have the best tournament, but did indeed help the French to get into the final, scoring the only goal in the semis vs. Portugal, and gave his nation the lead against Italy. I remember I watched this match in an Italian cafe and was surely the only one celebrating that goal. But then, things went downhill for him - and France. He famously headbutted Matterazzi, was sent off and France lost on penalties.

For many, back then, his headbutt did throw a huge shadow over his career. In my opinion, it did not. He still had one of the most impressive careers in world football and is among the best footballers of all times. Barely any player carried his nation to successes as much as he did.

That said, I just had to get a Zidane shirt at some point and so I did. It cost me just 30 bucks, too, and I am more than happy with it. It is the design mostly known for his headbutt - but is also arguably the nicest design France had back in the early 2000s.