There's a pass of about 50-60 yards that he makes at about 4:45, which looks normal until you realise it's with his weaker foot. He'd be a joy to play with. You'd just make forward runs from any position when he got the ball, knowing that he wouldn't give it away cheaply.
Yes that was a great pass, the vision and precision is awesome, it's with his weaker foot yet he makes it look so easy.
Jokes aside, your actually right. He was amazing in the allstar game and could still play if he honestly wanted to. Figo was pretty good as well.
Does any one really doubt that if Zizou was to come back, he would still be a very valuable role player with us?
There is a big difference between playing the occasional charity match and playing for Real Madrid throughout a normal season. He still has the touch and awareness etc, but I doubt his body could take a long season. He'd have to be used very sparingly IMO.
He retired when he was 33 and was still very much on top of his game. I'm pretty confident he can still step in and be a valuable role player off the bench for any team out there. His game does not rely on speed, and he's better than anyone at making everybody play at his tempo. Hell, if Seedorf is still playing and if Maldini dragged out his career till he was 38, Zizou can do it too. He had the smarts to retire when he was still at the top; it doesn't mean he couldn't play at this level anymore.
I disagree, his last season was painful, it was obvious he wasn't fit to be as competitive as he'd like. His World Cup was good, but that's probably because he pictured it as his final few games that he would give everything in. In his final season for us, i actually felt he could have retired a season before sometimes.
That really has a lot more to do with how horrendously out of order our team was that season than anything else really. That season spiraled out of control after the 3-0 loss to Barca. And even with that, I think he was still our second top scorer. Not his best year, but who had a good year that season?
Have to agree. The team was in disarray, hardly surprising that his form dipped considerably that season. Also, his performance in the World Cup was better than good, it was exceptional for a player of his age. Didn't he win the award for the best player of the tournament? (it was decided by FIFA before the headbutt incident).
I wouldnt say he was at the top of his game, but his last season being painful is just as much of an exaggeration no?
I thought Zidane picked it up the 6 months prior to the WC, but before that he was poor. Remember Luxa trying to make Guti play on the wing and Zidane play in the center? But Zidane was too tired to run so the 2 would switch? LOL - good times.
He was very much on the decline physically. He made the right decision to retire instead of dragging his feet and half humiliating himself, like Lothar Matthäus for example.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FiQzT_BHIA&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - France 98 Vs PSG ( 3-3 ) Zinedine Zidane Goal 11.06.2011‏[/ame]