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6 months ago
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While he was to continue for another year with Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane finally decided to call it quits in 2006. The fault was notably the elimination against Arsenal in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
Leader of the Premier League ahead of Liverpool and Manchester City, Arsenal will try this Tuesday to secure their ticket to the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Porto. The defeat conceded to Portugal in the first leg nevertheless awakened bad memories. The Gunners have in fact been eliminated seven times in a row at this same stage of the round of 16 between 2011 and 2017. The London club has nevertheless sometimes achieved some feats there, first and foremost the double confrontation against Real Madrid in the winter of 2006. .
Winners 1-0 in Madrid for what was the first victory for an English club at Santiao Bernabeu in C1, Arsène Wenger’s men would resist the return match, hastening the end of the Galactics. “ Highbury buried the galactic Madrid”, headlined AS while Marca recorded “The end of a sad cycle” and El Paisl “The end of a team, the end of an era” . Interim coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro had lined up all the old Madrid stars, first and foremost Ronaldo, David Beckham, Raul, Zinedine Zidane and Roberto Carlos. But, as AS pointed out, “the kilos weigh, the years weigh.”
“I’ve seen myself playing for two years”
At 33, Zinedine Zidane faced severe criticism. Enough to convince him that the time had come to leave Real Madrid and end his career despite a contract which would run until June 2027. I know myself well enough and I have seen myself playing for two years. I can’t be satisfied with what I’ve achieved over the last two seasons…, he then announced. I say stop playing high-level football because my body tells me so, because my head tells me so… You must not cheat. I have always been honest with myself.”
The Madrid press is ruthless with the French playmaker, considered finished by most editorialists. A few months later, in the middle of the World Cup, the Spanish newspapers were going to report on the clash of the round of 16 between France and Spain, sending him into retirement the very morning of the match. “ It wasn’t my jubilee yet. I want to tell the Spaniards, because they have given us enough trouble about this, that it is not this time. The adventure goes on “, he said in response.
And Zinedine Zidane was not the only one to leave. If Roberto Carlos, David Beckham and Ronaldo waited until 2007 to leave Real Madrid, Florentino Perez announced his surprise resignation between the two matches against Arsenal.
Written by:
Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.
