Here’s an awesome strike from Ligue 1 on Wednesday night.
If this doesn’t make you smile, you’re dead inside!
Just like a goal from Roy of the Rovers, eh, except not everyone on the pitch is white. Rémi Mareval’s awesome shot gave FC Nantes a 1-0 half-time lead against Olympique de Marseille. The 40-yarder would have been fit to win any game. Sadly, Nantes were unable to hold out for the win. Bakari Koné equalised in the 78th minute and the points were shared.
Mexican goalkeeper Jorge Campos sported an array of eccentric, multi-coloured strips during the ’90s. St Etienne’s Jérémie Janot is also partial to unusual jerseys.
Spider-Man took to the field for a Ligue 1 match against FC Istres in 2005. In a departure from normal superhero protocol, Janot took off the mask before play began.
The Gallic equivalent of a Glasgow kiss is - unfortunately for Marco Materazzi - not a French kiss, but un coupe de boule - a headbutt. Zinedine Zidane’s now infamous assault on Materazzi is the inspiration behind this musical tour de force.
Coup de Boule was penned by three colleagues from La Plage Records in Paris. The company’s bread and butter is advertising jingles, but Zidane inspired them to loftier purposes. The track is available in French and Spanish.
It was written to entertain the composers’ army of idle media friends. Against all expectations it became an overnight success, initially propagated through the Internet, but now distributed in twenty different countries by more conventional means. You can even download a ringtone for your mobile. Who says foreign music is inaccessible?
He toiled through La Liga with under-achieving Real Madrid and struggled to assert himself during France’s World Cup group games. Doomed to play in a divided team, hindered by colleagues and countrymen alike, Zinedine Zidane found it hard to play the part of sorcerer without ten willing apprentices.
After a poor season, his second-round performance against Spain seemed like an omen of recovery. But no-one could have foretold the magic used to eliminate spellbound Brazil on Saturday.
Zidane was imperious, emptying his bag of tricks all over the pitch as the ninety minutes ticked away: step-overs, drag-backs, cross-field passes, through-balls - the crowd saw them all. The French captain ran at the opposition; he juggled the ball as Brazilian defenders wheeled around him; Zidane entertained in the way that only he can - tricks with purpose.
Watch out for the chapéu over Ronaldo’s shaven head in the 56th minute, and the ruleta around Gilberto Silva.