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1222 days ago
As you read this I am out in the Mediterranean, relaxing and soaking up some sunshine on boat that has been loaned to me by a friend. Football still seems many miles away from my world at the moment and I think I deserve a break because my season did not end until July 9 at the World Cup final in Berlin. However, it will not be long before I start to prepare myself physically and mentally for the new campaign. I will be back at Stamford Bridge next Monday and begin the process of getting ready for another tilt at the big football prizes. The rest of the first team squad will be in America on our pre-season trip but I am unlikely to join them. My fitness levels are usually pretty high so I will not have too much catching up to do with my conditioning. I am very much looking forward to meeting up with my new team-mates Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko who were our two main signings of the summer. They have a great deal ...
1237 days ago
My first feeling at the end of the World Cup final was one of guilt. Now that might seem a strange emotion but I genuinely thought I could have done more to influence the result of the game. I was quite happy with my performance particularly in the second half but when I scrutinise my display in detail I know I could have done some things better – like a little pass here or a tackle there – that could have benefited the team. It was, of course, all very upsetting but, as I have mentioned in this diary before, I am a very spiritual person, and sometimes these things are meant to be. To have reached the final was a fine achievement but to come so close to winning when we were the better team was a setback we all have to take in our stride. The sending off of Zizou was the big talking point after the game. Whether he was verbally provoked into doing what he did, I don’t know. I have not talked to him about it yet because it was such a personal ...
1241 days ago
There is a new chant among the France fans at the World Cup finals. It has changed from “Allez Les Bleus” to “Allez Les Vieux” (The Old Men). I am told it is also a popular chant back home in France where 300,00 people gathered in the Champs Elysees after the win against Portugal on Wednesday. It was an emotional moment especially for myself and the other “old men” in the squad. Players like myself Lillian Thuram., Fabien Barthez and ,of course, the Grand Master Zinedine Zidane. We all had the same feelings before the World Cup began. We were growing old but we all felt we had one last chance for glory with the national team. Now we are 90 minutes away from living our dreams. So here we are ready to face Italy in the final. We were all very tired after the Portugal game but a few days rest and we will be ready to go again in Berlin. If we cannot recapture our energy for a World Cup final then we never will. I speak ...
1244 days ago
“Please don’t leave us” – that was the headline message in one of the French newspapers on Sunday after our win over Brazil in the quarter finals. It was aimed at Zinedine Zidane, who, as we all know, will be retiring from football at the end of the season. I know people will say that Zizou still has so much to offer the game but I am absolutely certain he will not change his mind and will carry through his decision to quit. Zizou has admitted to me that last season he began to feel very tired when playing for Real Madrid. Clearly he is still a world class player but if his body is telling him that he should stop playing then he is wise to listen to it. But you get the feeling now he is on a personal mission here in Germany to bow out on a real high – and there would be no better way than to do it by lifting the World Cup trophy. Zizou has insisted he wants to quit while he is at the top and you don’t get much higher than by winning the biggest ...
1248 days ago
The World Cup finals have brought me many opportunities to meet up with some close friends from opposition teams.The rivalry has been intense but enjoyable. During our victory over Spain I came up against my former Real Madrid colleague Raul and I am happy to say I think I came out on top of that particular contest. Now it is time for me to get to grips with Ronaldo when we face Brazil in the quarter finals. We were very good pals at Real Madrid but I can asure you that our friendship will be put on hold when we step out onto the field on Saturday. There has been no contact between us before the game. That would not be appropriate but once the final whistle blows I am sure we will embrace each other and talk things over. We think Brazil are beatable. We know they have some superbly talented strikers who can win matches in a fraction of a second but they can be vulnerable in defence and we can take advantage of that. I ...
