Rhapsody in Bleu

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Rhapsody in Bleu

by George Azar

When it mattered most, Zinedine "Zizou" Zidane rose to the occasion, as the great ones always do. His epic two goal performance in the World Cup final July 12th turned an ulikely dream into astonishing reality, as he led the underdog French national team, "Les Bleus," to a stunning 3-0 rout of the mighty Brazilian soccer machine. Zizouís performance was one of the greatest in World Cup history.

When the final gun sounded and the French squad stormed the field past the stunned Brazilians, Paris exploded in joy, touching off the wildest celebration seen since its liberation from Nazi occupation, half a century ago. Across the French capital young and old, rich and poor, poured onto the streets.

Car horns resounded like a chorus across the city and the normally stoic riders on the Paris subway erupted into spontaneous renditions of "La Marseillaise." The sidewalks around the Louvre museum and the Tuileries Gardens quickly filled with thousands carrying flags and dancing. Some climbed lampposts, others hung from windows. A short distance away, hundreds of Parisians climbed the angel statue that marks the spot of the storming of the Bastille.

Praise for Zidane was evident from the crowds incessant chant, "Zizou for president ! Zizou for president !" and the numerous Algerian flags waving in the breeze. Unfazed, French President Jacques Chirac declared, "This is the best day of my life." Less than two hours after the victory, a crowd estimated at over one million people turned the Champs Elysees into sea of celebration.

After the match, French coach Aime Jaquet summed up the feelings of the nation, "Zinedine brought light to the game and illuminated it." More than just a sports hero, Zidane had become a symbol of French brotherhood.

Multiculturalism

What France has seen in the weeks following the World Cup goes far beyond the celebration of a soccer triumph. The pride in having a mixed race team capture the World Cup for France was almost as strong as the thrill of victory.

For the past two decades France has been plagued by racial tension, including the rise of the National Front, a xenophobic party that earns a significant percentage of the French vote advocating the expulsion of North Africans and other immigrants. Yet Zidaneís brilliance on the field and the dignity of his comportment off it, have transformed him into a Jackie Robinson figure, a symbol of reconciliation so beloved that even far right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen felt compelled to salute him.

Unlike other elite French institutions, Les Bleus reflected how France looks at the close of the 20th century. The victory was an occasion when Franceís immigrants could feel they belonged. "All of us are like Zidane," explained a woman running an Algerian cafe near the Stade de France to an American newspaper. "He is so close to our feelings... he represents us. We can only watch the games on TV (because of ticket prices,) but when Zizou is playing I feel more French than the French."

Laurent Joffrin, news editor of Liberation, observed: "For the abandoned sections of the population, the World Cup may have been an ephemeral opening, an illusion of fraternity. But such illusions are useful: they can alter people's minds."

"Zidane and Desailly (Franceís star defender born in Ghana) have done more for integration in this country than years of well intentioned policies" adds Michele Tribalat, a demographer and writer on immigration.

Les Bleus were ranked a lowly 17th in the world coming into the tournament, below even the United States. Brazil was so fully expected to win that, according to an American reporter covering the final, before the game most of the international press had simply filed their advance stories before the game, to be used, "When Brazil wins..."

But France succeeded by embracing its ethnic diversity, not denying it. Les Bleus were the most ethnically diverse of all the 32 teams that competed for the World Cup. Aside from France its players can trace their roots to North and sub Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, Russia and Armenia. Le Monde called on the nation to study the "Jaquet parable," telling children, teachers, politicians and businessmen to build their own winning teams "without exclusion or prejudice."

Zizou Zinedine, whose name means "beauty of the faith" in Arabic, is the son of an Algerian night watchman from the Kabylie region, 200 kms east of Algiers. The 6'1" midfielder learned to play soccer on the hard gravel lots that pass for playing fields in La Castellane, a rough Marseille suburb were he still maintains close ties. Thoughtful, shy, and modest, Zizou is widely considered the best playmaker in the world, yet he takes every opportunity to say, in a voice that rarely rises above a whisper, that he is just another member of the team.

Others disagree.

Number 10 is of such importance to France, that before the tournament his teammates conceded that winning the World Cup was inconceivable without him. "We all know how important Zizou is," said French captain Didier Deschamps. "Our attacking game depends almost entirely upon him."

"When somebody does not know what to do with the ball," adds midfielder Emmanuel Petit, "he gives it to Zizou and he finds out instantly what the best solution is." He dominates games with grace, intelligence and guile. With Zidane behind every touch there is a thought.

"I must dribble as little as possible," he says. " One, two, three touches-no more- and a pass at the right moment." It often seems he can see not only right or left but behind as well. At one point he headed the ball twelve yards backward, straight into teammate Marcel Desaillyís feet.

Much of it is thankless work. "There are few better in the world than Zidane at supplying the bullets," wrote The Times, "but where are the French musketeers to shot them ?" During the run for the World Championship, Franceís notoriously poor forwards squandered perfect pass after perfect pass from Zizou.

Yet never does Zinedine look disappointed when a chance is missed. In the opening minutes of the final vs. Brazil, with everything on the line, Zidane delivered a perfect pass to Stephane Guivarcíh as the French forward sped towards the Brazilian goal, but Guivarcíh stumbled in his eagerness, sending a weak kick into the hands of Brazilian goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel.

Finally, Zizou took it upon himself to put the ball into the net, breaking free of Brazilís captain Dunga and leaping over its star forward Leonardo to deflect the ball off his head past the Brazilian goalkeeper, in the gameís 27th minute.

Nineteen minutes later he did it again from the other side of the field, scoring on Leonardo and the man many consider the worldís greatest player, the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, giving France an unthinkable 2-0 lead.

That night, the face of Zidane, who grew up in a Marseilles slum, was beamed onto the walls of Franceís most sacred national monument, LíArc de Triomphe.

As night turned to morning, the vast crowd numbering in the tens of thousands could still be heard chanting, "Zi-zou ! Zi-zou !"

Two days later, the President of the Republic announced that Zinedine Zidane, along with the 21 other members of Les Bleus and coach Aime Jaquet would be made knights of the Legion of Honour. A movement has begun in France to have July 12th declared a permanent national holiday.

"This closes chapter in French history," wrote historian Benjamin Stora, of Zidane and the 1998 Cup Final, "because it shows one can remain faithful to an Algeria and yet be for France, that one can be a Muslim and be fully French."

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Back to Azar.org	Rhapsody in Bleu by George Azar When it mattered most, Zinedine "Zizou" Zidane rose to the occasion, as the great ones always do. His epic two goal performance in the World Cup final July 12th turned an ulikely dream into astonishing reality, as he led the underdog French national team, "Les Bleus," to a stunning 3-0 rout of the mighty Brazilian soccer machine. Zizouís performance was one of the greatest in World Cup history. When the final gun sounded and the French squad stormed the field past the stunned Brazilians, Paris exploded in joy, touching off the wildest celebration seen since its liberation from Nazi occupation, half a century ago. Across the French capital young and old, rich and poor, poured onto the streets. Car horns resounded like a chorus across the city and the normally stoic riders on the Paris subway erupted into spontaneous renditions of "La Marseillaise." The sidewalks around the Louvre museum and the Tuileries Gardens quickly filled with thousands carrying flags and dancing. Some climbed lampposts, others hung from windows. A short distance away, hundreds of Parisians climbed the angel statue that marks the spot of the storming of the Bastille. Praise for Zidane was evident from the crowds incessant chant, "Zizou for president ! Zizou for president !" and the numerous Algerian flags waving in the breeze. Unfazed, French President Jacques Chirac declared, "This is the best day of my life." Less than two hours after the victory, a crowd estimated at over one million people turned the Champs Elysees into sea of celebration. After the match, French coach Aime Jaquet summed up the feelings of the nation, "Zinedine brought light to the game and illuminated it." More than just a sports hero, Zidane had become a symbol of French brotherhood. Multiculturalism What France has seen in the weeks following the World Cup goes far beyond the celebration of a soccer triumph. The pride in having a mixed race team capture the World Cup for France was almost as strong as the thrill of victory. For the past two decades France has been plagued by racial tension, including the rise of the National Front, a xenophobic party that earns a significant percentage of the French vote advocating the expulsion of North Africans and other immigrants. Yet Zidaneís brilliance on the field and the dignity of his comportment off it, have transformed him into a Jackie Robinson figure, a symbol of reconciliation so beloved that even far right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen felt compelled to salute him. Unlike other elite French institutions, Les Bleus reflected how France looks at the close of the 20th century. The victory was an occasion when Franceís immigrants could feel they belonged. "All of us are like Zidane," explained a woman running an Algerian cafe near the Stade de France to an American newspaper. "He is so close to our feelings... he represents us. We can only watch the games on TV (because of ticket prices,) but when Zizou is playing I feel more French than the French." Laurent Joffrin, news editor of Liberation, observed: "For the abandoned sections of the population, the World Cup may have been an ephemeral opening, an illusion of fraternity. But such illusions are useful: they can alter people's minds." "Zidane and Desailly (Franceís star defender born in Ghana) have done more for integration in this country than years of well intentioned policies" adds Michele Tribalat, a demographer and writer on immigration. Les Bleus were ranked a lowly 17th in the world coming into the tournament, below even the United States. Brazil was so fully expected to win that, according to an American reporter covering the final, before the game most of the international press had simply filed their advance stories before the game, to be used, "When Brazil wins..." But France succeeded by embracing its ethnic diversity, not denying it. Les Bleus were the most ethnically diverse of all the 32 teams that competed for the World Cup. Aside from France its players can trace their roots to North and sub Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, Russia and Armenia. Le Monde called on the nation to study the "Jaquet parable," telling children, teachers, politicians and businessmen to build their own winning teams "without exclusion or prejudice." Zizou Zinedine, whose name means "beauty of the faith" in Arabic, is the son of an Algerian night watchman from the Kabylie region, 200 kms east of Algiers. The 6'1" midfielder learned to play soccer on the hard gravel lots that pass for playing fields in La Castellane, a rough Marseille suburb were he still maintains close ties. Thoughtful, shy, and modest, Zizou is widely considered the best playmaker in the world, yet he takes every opportunity to say, in a voice that rarely rises above a whisper, that he is just another member of the team. Others disagree. Number 10 is of such importance to France, that before the tournament his teammates conceded that winning the World Cup was inconceivable without him. "We all know how important Zizou is," said French captain Didier Deschamps. "Our attacking game depends almost entirely upon him." "When somebody does not know what to do with the ball," adds midfielder Emmanuel Petit, "he gives it to Zizou and he finds out instantly what the best solution is." He dominates games with grace, intelligence and guile. With Zidane behind every touch there is a thought. "I must dribble as little as possible," he says. " One, two, three touches-no more- and a pass at the right moment." It often seems he can see not only right or left but behind as well. At one point he headed the ball twelve yards backward, straight into teammate Marcel Desaillyís feet. Much of it is thankless work. "There are few better in the world than Zidane at supplying the bullets," wrote The Times, "but where are the French musketeers to shot them ?" During the run for the World Championship, Franceís notoriously poor forwards squandered perfect pass after perfect pass from Zizou. Yet never does Zinedine look disappointed when a chance is missed. In the opening minutes of the final vs. Brazil, with everything on the line, Zidane delivered a perfect pass to Stephane Guivarcíh as the French forward sped towards the Brazilian goal, but Guivarcíh stumbled in his eagerness, sending a weak kick into the hands of Brazilian goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel. Finally, Zizou took it upon himself to put the ball into the net, breaking free of Brazilís captain Dunga and leaping over its star forward Leonardo to deflect the ball off his head past the Brazilian goalkeeper, in the gameís 27th minute. Nineteen minutes later he did it again from the other side of the field, scoring on Leonardo and the man many consider the worldís greatest player, the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, giving France an unthinkable 2-0 lead. That night, the face of Zidane, who grew up in a Marseilles slum, was beamed onto the walls of Franceís most sacred national monument, LíArc de Triomphe. As night turned to morning, the vast crowd numbering in the tens of thousands could still be heard chanting, "Zi-zou ! Zi-zou !" Two days later, the President of the Republic announced that Zinedine Zidane, along with the 21 other members of Les Bleus and coach Aime Jaquet would be made knights of the Legion of Honour. A movement has begun in France to have July 12th declared a permanent national holiday. "This closes chapter in French history," wrote historian Benjamin Stora, of Zidane and the 1998 Cup Final, "because it shows one can remain faithful to an Algeria and yet be for France, that one can be a Muslim and be fully French."
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