00:00As host nation, France would have been under the microscope anyway, but an embarrassing
00:06capitulation in the final qualifying stages for the 1994 World Cup intensified the pressure.
00:15Gérard Houllier had been sacked as coach, replaced by his assistant Aimé Jacquet, who
00:21in the minds of the French media carried baggage from the 1994 debacle.
00:27For Jacquet, there was only one way to go – invest in youth and start again.
00:33Fortunately for him and for France, a young midfielder of Algerian descent was crying out
00:39for selection. Zinedine Zidane made his international debut in August 1994 at the age of 22. Five
00:50months later, an incident in England seemed initially to be a disaster for France's national
00:54team. Instead, it was the making of their surprising success. Eric Cantona assaulted a spectator
01:03in the Premier League, was banned for the rest of the season and Jacquet stripped him of the
01:08French captaincy. Given his head, Zidane took over as the national team's playmaker and the
01:16brilliant but abrasive and disruptive Cantona never played for his country again. Jacquet also
01:22transitioned winger David Ginola and striker Jean-Pierre Papin out of the side.
01:30And closer to the World Cup introduced youngsters Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and David Trezeguet.
01:40The French media were skeptical, many calling for the coach to be dumped. But with a fresh dynamic,
01:46the team exceeded all expectations, bounding through the group stage with nine goals to one.
01:54But a 2-1 win against Croatia in the semifinal was not enough to change the perception that Brazil would
02:00breeze to victory in the final.
02:05But Jacquet had discussed with Zidane a weakness in Brazil's defense at set pieces and Zidane exploited it.
02:1327 minutes into the final, he headed his first into the net from a corner kick and 19 minutes later,
02:19another corner kick, another header, another goal.
02:25With Ronaldo unable to raise a challenge and the rest of the Brazilian team unable to step up,
02:31the French team breezed to an unlikely victory. Emmanuel Petit's 93rd minute goal providing a 3-0 scoreline,
02:38the most decisive victory in any World Cup final.
02:44Zidane was man of the match, and while his best football was still ahead of him,
02:48it established him as the game's glamour star heading into the new millennium.
02:54Of 98's other giant personalities, Ronaldo too would eventually fulfil his destiny.
03:01David Beckham's career would blossom going on to riches,
03:04celebrity, and ultimately forgiveness from England fans.
03:09Gaz's story was not so happy. But that's the nature of sport. It's the contrast between
03:16triumph and despair which makes football's greatest stage such intriguing theatre.
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