Photo: CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU / AFP / Getty Images
Zinedine Zidane with 34 years old, the Real Madrid footballer declared on Canal+ France that he would stop playing the sport with which he conquered millions of fans.
“It’s mostly about my body, I’ve reached an age where everything is makes it more and more difficult”, added Zidane in his statements.
When Zidane retired, he still had one year left on his contract with the Real Madrid. He assured that “psychological fatigue” had won over him and that he was “disappointed” for not having achieved the goals set by the merengue team in the last two seasons.
“This goodbye was something that was on my mind It’s been a while and I wanted to let it go. I think I can’t arrive after the World Cup and three weeks of vacation and say ‘I’m leaving him, look for another player'”, he explained and added that it was “important” for Real Madrid to know this decision.
It was like this on July 9 of 2006 the French star said goodbye to the playing fields, nothing more and nothing less than in the final of the World Cup, which saw France face Italy.
The header against Materazzi and as something typical of life, which has its inexplicable events, the goodbye of “Zizou” from the courts was not the most expected.
Not only was France unable to lift the World Cup (it lost from the penalty shootout, after drawing 1-1), but Zidane would be expelled in extra time for a more than well-known header to Marco Materazzi, defender of the Italian squad.
Before, “Zizou” had signed his last goal as professional footballer after opening the account of the match, with a shot from the penalty spot to the “Panenka”, which surprised Gianluigi Buffon, goalkeeper of Italy.
When the extra time was played, the controversial event occurred, when the Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo stopped the match.
Previously, the French captain hit Materazzi with a header to the Italian’s chest, which was not he was seen by the referee, but he was seen by the fourth referee Elizondo, upon being notified by Medina Cantalejo of the situation, he expelled Zidane from the match.
The last image of Zidane, a footballer, leaving the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, while passing, on the one hand, the World Cup, which he could not lift, will remain in history.
Reactions after his dismissal
At that time, Alfredo di Stéfano, honorary president of Real Madrid, said that Zidane “had so much class that he could have played until the 38 years”.
“As a soccer specialist, as a soccer fan, I affirm that Zidane is, as we say in Spanish, a crack. He has entered among the greats in the history of football. One of the last of this breed”, Di Stefano told “L’Equipe”.
At the time, his teammates from Real Madrid, at the time of the “Galácticos”, also gave their opinion on the matter.
“Your goodbye is a pity. Soccer loses a great player, the best. We will remember his plays, historical goals, incredible controls and everything he has left during a career full of triumphs for a lifetime”, said defender Roberto Carlos.
The English midfielder David Beckham declared that “after speaking with him and listening to his reasons I am happy because I support him in everything and I know he is happy finishing his career after the World Cup. He already was, but from this moment he is among the best players in history. I will never forget everything I have shared with him”, “When I arrived at Real Madrid I knew I was coming to play with the best players in the world. Among them I had always seen Zidane do great things”.
“Now I am his partner and his friend and I assure you that everything great that he is as a footballer improves him as a person. His way of being is number one”, added Beckham.
The Brazilian Julio Baptista admitted that he had never seen anyone control a ball so well. “Zizou for me is a footballer who goes down in history directly to be among the best for everything he has done”.
“ I have had the pleasure and fortune of sharing a year with a phenomenon that is unmatched, an outstanding figure. I have never seen anyone in my life control a ball like him. For a player like Zidane to repeat himself is practically impossible”, he stated.
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