The French team is an enigma. We thought a Zidane of this caliber was only possible in movies or on Pro Evolution Soccer. People talked about a “Farewell Game”. That’s not untrue. Zinédine Zidane revels in the literal sense of the word. He takes joy in being there, in being decisive. Against Brazil, he was the conductor of a flawless performance. Just one lost ball over 90 minutes: this statistic will be remembered both as an anecdote and as proof of his complete game. He was so heavily criticized! But less so than Patrick Vieira.
Vieira, making virtually no mistakes, as good defensively as offensively, was only a dream, but this dream was crazy and it came true Saturday night. Raymond Domenech, an astrology enthusiast, had predicted it, yet who would have believed it?
Nice-Première, in its presentation of the French team, had asked the question “what image would the Blues display in Germany?”. Would we see a 2002 version with fragility, technical and tactical errors, or rather the conquering version of ’98 with the cheeky certainty that nothing could go wrong? The “peace and tranquility” music from “Les Yeux dans les Bleus” (a documentary by Stéphane Meunier about the life of French players in the ’98 World Cup) fits more to 2006 than ’98. This French team is strong, the players are enjoying themselves together with a common will and a sharp intelligence of each other. There is a sense of serenity, conviction. They have made peace with themselves and it shows in their tranquility. The Spaniards and Brazilians have collided with the cohesion, the substance of the determined Blues. They must persevere in this mentality to win the ultimate title, and the road is still long.
Next obstacle: Portugal. Portugal knows how to disrupt play. England learned that the hard way. The experience of Figo, Pauleta, Costinha, Maniche, along with the talent of Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco, are assets that pair with the strengths of the French team. Some will question the extent of Domenech’s responsibility. Large, huge, or infinitesimal, it doesn’t matter.
Of course, the French team can lose, but the players will do their utmost. A match remains a match. The winner will play the final. The loser plays the desolate third place. Answers on Tuesday with Italy-Germany and Wednesday for the Blues with Portugal-France.
