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Arguably the best player in the world, Zinedine Zidane
is also the most expensive thanks to the massive $66-million
(US) transfer fee that saw him leave Juventus in Italy's
Serie A for Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid last year.
Even a team as deep as the defending World Cup champions
from France fear the impact of losing Zidane, and the
French will have to do without their superstar midfielder
for at least the first game of the tournament, May 31
against Senegal, as Zidane is hobbled with a thigh injury.
"Without Zidane, the team is sometimes in difficulty,"
said French coach Roger Lemerre.
"(Zidane) is an exceptional player. When he's
in the team he improves it."
Zidane already had hearts fluttering in France when
he skipped a tuneup match against Belgium on May 18
to be with his wife, who was due to give birth to their
third child that day. France lost to the Belgians, adding
to the nervousness in France.
Zidane cemented his legend at the World Cup in France
in 1998, when he led the home side to soccer's biggest
crown. The son of Algerian immigrants from the rough
and tumble environs of Marseille was celebrated as a
national hero and suddenly became France's favourite
son.
The midfielder was best known as a playmaker and there
had been some question concerning his ability to come
through when everything was on the line, but in 1998,
he saved his best performance as a clutch goal-scorer
for the biggest game. He scored two goals against Brazil
in the World Cup final and won the Player of the Tournament
award at the 2000 European Championships.
For his outstanding play during those two years he
earned the prestigious FIFA Player of the Year award
for 1998 and 2000.
As an encore, Zidane scored one of the most brilliant
goals in living memory to help Real Madrid win the Champions
Cup final in May 2002. Regardless of questions surrounding
his level of fitness or the uneven play of France prior
to the World Cup, there's little doubt that Zidane himself
is on a high and primed for the competition.
"It's true it's been a great week with the Champions
Cup victory and the birth of my third son three days
after," Zidane said. "I'm really first up
after a week like I've had. I felt like I didn't want
to leave my family, but on the other hand, I'm happy
to return and play in the World Cup.
"A second World Cup title isn't out of the question.
But the competition will be tough."
A shy, modest man, Zidane, or "Zizou", is
known for his ability to take control of a game and
control the flow, and his passing and dribbling skills
are unsurpassed.
His ascent to the top of soccer was rapid. He made
his debut in France's top division when he was 16 and
joined Bordeaux in 1992, where he was voted Young Player
of the Year.
He joined Juventus in 1996 and helped lead them to
the UEFA Champions League Finals in 1997 and 1998.
With files from Associated Press
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