Zinedine Zidane chips the keeper. And it isn’t just any old keeper. It’s Buffon. One of the best keepers in the world. And this is in the World Cup Final! The audaciousness of this chip shot on a penalty kick no less–no fear and pure confidence. Zidane’s penalty in the World Cup won’t be duplicated again.
It’s a shame Zidane went out in the final as he did. He deserved to go out as a champion. Buffon made a great save on a header by Zizu in the game early on. Zidane was chipping the keeper in penalty kicks before everyone else. Before it was cool. Take a look at the video below to see the penalty from one of the smoothest players to ever play the game.
Zidane scores what is the most risky and gutsy panenka penalty kicks of all time. A courageous and clever penalty kick in the World Cup final. Zidane was doing the panenka penalty kick before every one else, really, and on the world’s biggest stage. See Zidane’s penalty in the World Cup final. I don’t think any soccer player has ever even attempted to chip the goalkeeper like this in a World Cup final.
Take a look at the Zidane spin and his classic volley in the champions league final.
Zidane quote about growing up in a tough area in France, La Castellane, a crime-ridden housing development in Marseille and his desire to play as hard as he can when he steps on the soccer pitch:
“I was lucky to come from a difficult area. It teaches you not just about football but also life. There were lots of kids from different races and poor families. People had to struggle to get through the day.”
“I have a need to play intensely every day, to fight every match hard.”