(Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
”If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow,” says a Chinese proverb.
”By the token of time, verily man is in loss… except for those who abide by patience,” says the Holy Qur’an.
Take heed my children, the same head that can catapult you into galactic stardom in 1998 can condemn you to the annals of infamy in 2006. Figuratively no less than literally, it all depends on how you use your head.
But Zidane’s phenomenal existence must never be reduced to a mere parable.
He must not be remembered for this single moment of madness when he has provided us with over a decade of sheer ecstasy. His amazing and unexpected accomplishments in the 2006 world cup must not be lost on us. I take solace in his being awarded the tournament’s Golden Ball.
While Zidane no longer dominates footballing headlines as he had before his retirement, we must not forget his indellible mark on the game and its culture.
Zidane: the nominal Muslim, the son of Algerian immigrants, the French hero, and above all the intelligent footballer who conquered Europe and the world, for me will always be the small boy who struggled to beat the odds, counting only on his creative genius and will power.
Zidane was a master of his trade who elevated football to a new standard bringing his nation and football fans all over the world unprecedented glory and joy.
I gained immense respect for the French who stood in solidarity with their hero refusing to kick him when he was down after the infamous red card that cost them all so much. I can only add my voice to the grateful and forgiving French fans when I say, “Merci Zizou, le footballer eternel.”
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