FigoZidane - living legends in soccer fame's hall
Despite their superstar status, both men have shown their willingness to forgo individual glory for the sake of their respective countries’ 2006 FIFA World Cup™ hopes. The two footballing legends have many things in common besides being among the greatest players their countries have ever produced. Having both said goodbye to international football after UEFA EURO 2004, they changed their minds in time to make one last appearance at a FIFA World Cup. The players’ vast resources of quality, experience and knowledge have no doubt played a vital role in their teams reaching the last four here in Germany. Both men were born nigeriasports.com - courtesy fifaworldcup.com, in 1972 and started their careers at neighbourhood clubs, Figo playing in Almada, on the outskirts of Lisbon, and Zidane at Septemes-les-Vallons near Marseille. When the time came to move to bigger clubs, the Portuguese winger was the more precocious of the two, joining the Sporting Lisbon school at the age of 11, while Zizou was discovered by an AS Cannes scout at the age of 14. The talent that both boys so obviously possessed developed extremely quickly, so much so that the gifted duo were first-team players by the age of 17. The French midfielder’s unique brilliance was not enough to prevent Cannes from being relegated in 1991, a setback that was soon followed by Zidane leaving for Bordeaux. Meanwhile, Figo continued to develop apace at Sporting Lisbon, doing his burgeoning reputation no harm in Portugal’s 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship triumph on home soil, the player’s only trophy thus far with his country. A few short months later, according to the report the flying winger was making his first appearance for the senior national team, a feat which took Zidane a further three years to emulate. Although Zizou took longer to arrive on the international stage, he made an instant impression at the highest level. His two game-saving goals against the Czech Republic were the first of many decisive contributions in the famous blue shirt. The 1995/96 season proved to be a milestone in the both players’ club careers. Figo joined Catalan giants Barcelona, where he immediately assumed hero status in the eyes of the club’s supporters, while Zidane took Bordeaux to the final of the UEFA Cup, only to lose to Bayern Munich. At EURO 1996, both men made their major international tournament debuts, with the Frenchman taking the place of Manchester United legend Eric Cantona. Two weeks before the tournament, however, Zidane was involved in a road accident which prevented him from performing at his best in England. Even in this reduced state, he did enough to help France get through to the semi-finals, where they lost to a Czech team who had already accounted for Figo and Co. After the competition, the Frenchman was transferred to Italian superpowers Juventus. The move saw Zidane’s incredible potential converted into silverware, helping the Vecchia Signora win the Serie A title in 1996/97 and 1997/98 before steering France to victory at at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, a tournament for which Portugal had failed to qualify. Playing on home turf, Zidane wowed the world with his genius, capping an astounding year with the FIFA World Player of the Year award. On the back of two Spanish league titles as well as a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup success in Azulgrana colours, Figo arrived at EURO 2000 in top form - guiding his team to a semi-final clash with then world champions France. After an intense and gruelling struggle, it was Zidane who proved decisive. The Frenchman converted a penalty in the dying moments of the game and France went on to beat Italy in the final to take the trophy. That year, Zidane was chosen as FIFA World Player of the Year for the second time. In the wake of EURO 2000, Figo set a new record in the modern game, leaving Barcelona for arch-rivals Real Madrid for a world-record fee of 59 million euros. One year later, and it was Figo’s turn to be FIFA World Player of the Year, the first Portuguese player ever to win the prestigious award. Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s Galáctico era had well and truly arrived. Los Merengues smashed the transfer record once more at the start of the 2001/02 season, buying Zidane from Juventus for a staggering 73 million euros. Their investment paid off almost immediately, with the Figo/Zidane duo playing an instrumental role in winning the 2002 UEFA Champions League. The medals just kept coming, the pair helping Real Madrid win the Spanish league in 2002/03. At EURO 2004 in Portugal, the two superstars’ dreams were shattered by the same opponents: Greece knocked out France in the quarter-finals, before beating the host nation in the final in Lisbon. Greece’s unexpected triumph marked a new stage in the lives of Figo and Zidane. The Frenchman announced the end of his international career, while Figo put his own on temporary hold. To the relief of football lovers everywhere, however, EURO 2004 would not be the last time that fans would see these two artists of the game playing in their national team colours. Qualifying for Germany 2006 saw them back in the international frame, ready to say farewell in style at this summer’s showpiece tournament. Zidane, set to retire after the competition, has been sublime in the French midfield, culminating in a show-stopping display against defending champions Brazil. Figo, for his part, is also to draw the curtain on his international career, despite continuing to torture opposing defences here on German soil. Not Registered yet ? Click here to Register. |
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