Zidane Embraces Hero's Role
Copyright � 2000 Nando Media
Copyright � 2000 Agence France-Presse
BRUSSELS (June 28, 2000 7:48 p.m. EDT http://www.sportserver.com) - World Cup star Zinedine Zidane confirmed his hero status for France after scoring a golden goal penalty winner to propel France into the Euro 2000 final in a dramatic 2-1 win over Portugal on Wednesday.
Zidane, who scored two goals in France's 3-0 World Cup Final win over Brazil in 1998, struck in the last minute of extra-time with a spot kick after taking over penalty duties from Youri Djorkaeff, who did not play in this match.
"For the penalty I just put down the ball and I said to myself, 'I must hit it as hard as possible.' It went in OK so much the better for us," said Zidane.
"Our objective has always been victory in the final. It will be even harder on Sunday."
With five minutes of extra time left, substitute David Trezeguet ran into the box and was challenged by Portugal keeper Vitor Baia. The ball spun to Sylvain Wiltord, who fired from an acute angle on the right, and Abel Xavier deflected the ball behind the goal with his hand.
The Portuguese players reacted with fury and it was not until the 119th minute that Zidane was able to take the kick but he proved up to the task.
Earlier, Nuno Gomes had scored with a great curling left foot shot in the 19th minute and Thierry Henry equalized six minutes after the break.
Zidane is used to high acclaim and in January 1999 was given the European and World Player of the Year awards following his World Cup exploits in 1998.
Born on June 23, 1972 in Marseille as one of five children to Algerian parents Zinedine supported Marseille football club - his first footballing hero was Marseille's Uruguayan star Enzo Francescoli after whom Zidane later named his first son.
He began his career at Cannes, more famous for launching cinema stars than footballing talent, but it was after moving to Bordeaux in 1992 that Zidane first started to make name for himself outside of France.
He was part of the team which qualified through the Intertoto Cup before losing to Bayern Munich in the final of the 1996 UEFA Cup.
That same year Zidane went with Aime Jacquet's team to Euro '96 in England but a persistent thigh injury meant that he did not impress even though France reached the semifinals.
He had meanwhile agreed to move to Italian giant Juventus, and later that year lifted the Intercontinental Cup (World Club Championship) and European Super Cup with the Turin side.
In 1997 and 1998 he pocketed the Italian Serie A title, but in both those years he had to settle for runners-up spot in the Champions League, to Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid respectively.
But Zidane's hour was about to come in France '98 and his two headed goals in the first half put France on course for a 3-0 victory in the World Cup Final.
He has been outstanding in Euro 2000 and his penalty confirms his appetite for the big occasion as world champion France now looks forward to a final against either Holland or Italy in Rotterdam on Sunday.
