Zidane starts a legacy

Heading for greatness. Zinedine Zidane smiles with the World Cup after heading out Brazil with two goals in the final. Photo: Star Archive

WORLD CUP 1998 CONTINUED
The remaining quarterfinals were enduring classics. Brazil held off the Danes in Nantes with two goals from Rivaldo helping them to a narrow 3-2 win. In Marseille's Stade Velodrome, Argentina and Holland served up a feast. An early exchange of goals from Patrick Kluivert and Claudio Lopez led to an even match of flowing football. But, in keeping with an unhappy tradition, Argentina then pressed the self-destruct button as Ariel Ortega was dismissed for headbutting the chin of Holland keeper Edwin van der Sar.
Just when the game seemed destined for extra time, Dennis Bergkamp produced a goal that would grace any stage. Controlling a long pass instantly in the air, he wrong-footed a defender and prodded it with the outside of his boot into the roof of the net. Keeper Carlos Roa could do nothing but look on in admiration.
Marseille hosted the Dutch once more as they faced Brazil in the semifinal. After Ronaldo had scored a typical goal just after half-time, Brazil seemed to have a place in the final in their grasp, but Patrick Kluivert fired in three minutes from time. Again, the golden goal rule restricted both sides' ambitions and it was a penalty shoot-out once more. Brazil converted all four and Phillip Cocu and Ronald de Boer's misses put the favourites in the final.
There they would meet the hosts, who could thank defender Lilian Thuram's sudden discovery of a scoring touch when the game seemed to be turning towards Croatia. The Croats, for whom Davor Suker finished as the tournament's top scorer, satisfied themselves with a win in the third-place play-off over Holland.
The furore that blew up before the final is one of the greatest scandals in World Cup history and the true facts are still to be revealed, perhaps now lost in the mists of time and memory. When the teams for the match at Stade de France were initially announced, Ronaldo was missing from the team-sheet with Edmundo in his place.
There was speculation his ailing knee had finally given out but then a different story emerged. Ronaldo had suffered had some form of fit while sleeping in his hotel room. Room-mate Roberto Carlos had alerted doctors and worries over damage to his brain had led to his omission from the team-sheet. But when the teams lined up, a rather nervous Ronaldo was there -- at least in body. Rumours persist that he had been given a sedative by doctors and that team sponsor Nike, for whom Ronaldo was their leading endorsed player, had forced his inclusion. Whatever the truth, his zombified performance reflected a young man in turmoil who did not want to be playing.
Without him, Brazil looked lost and fell to a France side empowered by a rush of football fervour from the home support. Despite the errant efforts of hapless striker Stephane Guivarc'h in front of goal, the French still overpowered Brazil.
Even without Laurent Blanc, suspended following a red card after a terrible piece of play-acting from Slaven Bilic in the semifinal, the defence easily smothered what few Brazilian attacks there were. Zidane, who had improved steadily as the tournament went on, reached a crescendo when, unmarked on both occasions, he headed in two identical goals from Emmanuel Petit corners.
And though pivotal defender Marcel Desailly was sent off for a horrible foul on Cafu in the 75th minute, France finished the stronger, eventually sealing their win with a breakaway goal from Petit. Brazil had been thrashed, their dreams of a fifth World Cup perhaps dying in Ronaldo's hotel room, but few could argue with the validity of France as winners.
Skipper Didier Deschamps lifted the trophy, fans partied on the Champs-Elysees and cycling perhaps became France's second favourite sport.