Zidane takes over as "boss" of French team
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-06-19 13:12

Marcel Desailly still wears the captain's armband but Zinedine Zidane is now the undisputed boss of the French team.

Gone is the quietly-spoken genius content to let others shout and rave. At 31, Zidane has decided to take control.

It was Zidane who summoned his team mates into a huddle after France conceded their second Euro 2004 goal against Croatia on Thursday and told them to concentrate.

"Zidane did exactly the right thing," said defender Mikael Silvestre. "He talked to us, he told us not to get excited, he said there was still time to come back.

"It was exactly what we needed to hear, he found the right words. It didn't surprise me from him and his little speech certainly helped us to recover."

The champions had let a 1-0 lead turn into a 2-1 deficit after two Croatian goals in four minutes early in the second half. After Zidane's rallying cry, David Trezeguet's equaliser in the 64th minute allowed France to grab a point. "He is the boss," said Trezeguet.

Zidane has always been reluctant to speak in public and has considered wearing the captain's armband more a duty than an honour.

With 35-year-old Desailly close to the end of his international career, Zizou is now first in line to take over as both the leader and figurehead of Les Bleus.

His skill, his 91 caps and his cool, measured attitude on and off the pitch mark him out as the obvious choice.

NATURAL LEADER

"A few years back there were several natural-born leaders and Zidane just had to worry about his performances on the field," Silvestre said.

"Now with the new players who are coming in he has become a leader himself, he has taken greater part in the life of the team. He often speaks now in the changing rooms."

"He just looks great physically and mentally," said Trezeguet.

"I'm going to be 32 years old and I'm certainly at my very best," Zidane said during a week of preparation with France at the seaside resort of La Grande Motte last month.

"I'm ready for great challenges. I now have more maturity and physically I'm coming to my peak."

The inspirational midfielder confirmed this when he scored two stoppage time goals to seal a spectacular 2-1 victory over England in their opening match in Group B.

Against Croatia, he took the free kick that flicked off Igor Tudor into his own goal to put France ahead.