He got his red vs Saudi. Events in other games meant they had already qualified from the group by the time they met Denmark, so he only really missed the Round of 16 game against Paraguay where France struggled badly without him. He took and scored a pressure penalty in their extra time win vs Italy in the quarter finals, was very influential despite not scoring against Croatia in the semi's.

His two goals in the Final must be put into perspective by considering that at the time, the great question and fear for France was where the goals would come from, with the French team strikers struggling throughout the tournament.

But, I agree. Apart from winning 3 fifa world player of the year awards, 1 Balon d'Or, best player honors in France and Italy, player of the tournament in Euro 2000, scoring the match winner in the champion's league in spectacular fashion, putting in a virtuoso display and scoring two goals for your country in the most important game in its footballing history and winning numerous other trophies accolades, recognition as the best of your generation from his peers and previous legends of the game, Zidane was overrated.

I wasn't arguing about him being over rated or not. You said he won them the World Cup single handedly, which simply isn't true.

Well, he wasn't as irrelevant as you're trying to make it seem either.

Don't know why people always compare Zidanes gaolscoring and assist stats to forwards and strikers.

Zidane didn't win the World Cup single handedly in 1998, not even close. Was all about the defense that side. Lillian Thuram was the best player at the competition for me.

No player has ever won a world cup/competition single handedly. It's such a stupid thing to say.

Zidane's world cup performances were overrated. Only showed up in the final in 98 (he had some sort of a bottler tag before the Brazil game), and in 2006 he only stood out in 1 game (again against Brazil).

The general consensus seems to be he carried them to the final in both tournaments, couldn't be further away from the truth - they relied on having a strong defence a very hard-working midfield.

Zidane was boss at Euro 2000 though.

Lukazan wrote:

No player has ever won a world cup/competition single handedly. It's such a stupid thing to say.

To rephrase then, Like Maradona in 86, Zidane was the central figure of the World Cup winning team in 98.

Volante wrote:

Zidane was boss at Euro 2000 though.

His best tournament. He was magic

This is such a post modern football nerdy argument. Zidane was an insanely brilliant player. A genius.

As for France, I doubt they'd have won either of the tournaments they did win or reached the final in '06 without Zidane. They've always had gifted players, but Zidane was the talisman, the player that not only knitted their team together, but also gave the whole squad belief and focus. You only have to listen to the other French players talk about him to realise how incredibly important he was to those sides.

I'd rather have Özil.

I do wonder at anyone who didn't sense the greatness of Zidane.
He was awe inspiring.

y va marquer wrote:

I do wonder at anyone who didn't sense the greatness of Zidane.

Nobody has done that in this thread.

Well you don't even acknowledge his influence in the WC 98 Volante so that for me signals that you don't get him

y va marquer wrote:

Well you don't even acknowledge his influence in the WC 98

I didn't? I said he didn't single handedly win France the World Cup (he didn't, ludicrous to suggest he did) and said Thuram was the best player (my opinion).

Thuram may have been the best player, but Zidane was always the most important.

Less so for his clubs possibly, but for the French Zidane was vital and integral. He carried the weight of the nation on his shoulders.

That's how it always seemed to me anyway.

@ Volante, that's my point, you think Thuram was their best player means you miss the point of Zidane.
By the way I do not think he single handedly won them that WC but I reckon they'd have bottled the final without him.
They absolutely needed his presence to win, scoring the two goals helped too

In all my time of watching football, no one has dominated a major tournament the way Maradona did in '86. I have a feeling we may see Messi get near that next summer though. His spell on the treatment table this season may be just what Argentina need for next summer.

You can take your Zidane's and shove them, I'll be having this bloke:

Keep your cheap perma tanned imitation, I'll have the real deal.

CR is better than the tranny shagger.

Ronaldo was so exciting to watch. Also better than CR

Messi is better than fake ronaldo too

Nah, he isnt.

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:

Ronaldo was so exciting to watch. Also better than CR

Yep.

Ronaldo (the real one) at his best was better at everything (dribbling, passing, vision, finishing) apart from heading

Also much more exciting to watch. Cristiano Ronaldo has morphed into a forward version of Lampard - all about being effective. I prefer the 2006/2007 version of CR.

I prefer the one that averages 50 goals a season

Ronaldo at his best would easily hit 50 a season in Spain (for the past 5 seasons).

And he'd make his team play better too.

No doubt C.Ronaldo is a phenomenal player and one of the best ever but I don't get anywhere near the same enjoyment watching him as I do a lot of other players and certainly not Ronaldo. There was a period where he and the name itself just epitomised football.

CR isn't even exciting to watch anymore, at Man U exchanging with Rooney and Tevez he was good player but his one man team show at Madrid is embarrassing for the club. Plus he has underperformed in many of the big games.

Fat Ronaldo at Madrid or Barcelona today would knock C.Ronaldo off his perch.

Think Ronaldo is the fastest dribbler of the ball that has ever played the game. Total control at his maximum speed; it's amazing.

evoh wrote:

Plus he has underperformed in many of the big games.

He scored in 8 straight Clasicos, 6 in a row at Camp Nou, Semi Finals of the CL, etc, etc, etc.

Volante wrote:

evoh wrote:

Plus he has underperformed in many of the big games.

He scored in 8 straight Clasicos, 6 in a row at Camp Nou, Semi Finals of the CL, etc, etc, etc.

Scoring goals alone doesn't make him the best player in the game though.

Captain wrote:

Think Ronaldo is the fastest dribbler of the ball that has ever played the game. Total control at his maximum speed; it's amazing.

Seemed to speed up when he was on the ball. Must have been a nightmare to defend against.

I didn't say he was the best player in any of the games, but Ronaldo generally performs on the biggest of stages.

Lukazan wrote:

Captain wrote:

Think Ronaldo is the fastest dribbler of the ball that has ever played the game. Total control at his maximum speed; it's amazing.

Seemed to speed up when he was on the ball. Must have been a nightmare to defend against.

Like the polar opposite of Joe Cole. Every touch, feint, step-over means something and has a purpose. Not just faffing about ten yards from the closest defender.