Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Bobby Charlton and Zidane


The Zidane Story

It has probably amazed a number of my friends how involved I have been with the world cup. In an earlier post I addressed why it is hard for a very openly gay guy to admit liking football - the ritual, the continuous flow of the game, the cute guys....

I was born in Manchester in 1960. There will only ever be one greatest footballer for me - Bobby Charlton. But Zidane is number two, and Zidane remains number two for me, even after the World Cup incident. The Italian called his mother an Arab terrorist and Zidane lost his cool. He lost his cool defending the honor of his mother.

That is no reason not to admire the man who has most helped France get over its racism to Franco-Algerians, and who in all normal encounters is the model of a gentleman.

Vive Zidane! [If you read French, Le Monde has the most extensive coverage.]

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Vive Zidane, Vive Les Bleus!

If I was Algerian and some second rate Italian footballer called me the son of a terrorist whore, I would have done the same thing. At least Zidane got the Golden Ball.

Spencer T.