How can we ever forget the World Cup 2006 and the Zidane drama that comes with it?
2006 was all about the World Cup, but looking beyond, the year saw the passing away of the legendary Hungarian forward Ferenc Puskas, writes Nandita Sridhar.
The fact that a bald head striking a blue jersey covered chest is the longstanding image of the 2006 FIFA World Cup says something about the latter stages of the tournament, where, for most parts, the ball that flew off the boot defied nothing but hopes.
The `showpiece’ event, a tag under severe threat after 2002, had the drama, no doubt, but did it have the quality that a World Cup stage demands? It doesn’t take nitpicking to conclude that it didn’t.
To put it simply, the goals dried up after the Group stages, with play getting more defensive, and fewer risks taken. The artificial and momentary excitement of penalty shootouts cannot make up for the thrill of watching a goal.
Thank God for Zinedine Zidane, the towering, bald figure the world was privileged to watch till he lost his head. Moments like his brilliant pass to Thierry Henry against Brazil and the audacious penalty he took in the final, showing nerves of steel made the event worth watching.
Alas, remembering Zidane henceforth will always be like admiring a cracked work of art. Discussing his sublime football will always summon (not willingly) thoughts of his final act on the football field. His ability to withstand pressure will always be weighed against his inability to withstand provocation.
0 Responses to “World Cup and its drama”