AS his nation had hoped, a man of destiny, based in Italy, emerged to seize the day and win the World Cup.
But that man was not Ronaldo, bedraggled and broken long before the end of a game he should simply never have started.
Instead it was the game when Zinedine Zidane, the immigrants’ son from the rough streets of Marseille, became a footballing immortal to generations of Frenchmen to come.
The Juventus schemer has long been France’s only regular goal source, and even if he had been in disgrace after his red card against Saudi Arabia, Aime Jacquet knew he was the man who could upset the champions.
Once Jacquet’s men realised ankle victim Ronaldo was virtually a passenger – he had only just made the kick-off and simply could not do more than stroll around – they found the conviction to press forward.
Dominating the game, they probed the weaknesses that have plagued Mario Zagallo’s side all tournament, their inability to defend with quality, especially from set-pieces.
And all those who had suggested that underlying fallibility could prove their achilles heel were proving so right as Zidane twice stole in to head home in the first half.
Arsenal’s Emmanuel Petit, a hero of Arsenal’s Double triumph, completed a season he can never better by taking a pass from Gunners’ team-mate Patrick Vieira to begin a party that would last until dawn and beyond.
For Brazil, it was purgatory. For France, perfection
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BURT took their opponents Sean MacCumhaill’s apart in the Donegal senior hurling final last night running out winners by 3-13 to 0-3. After scoring first with an early goal from Martin Coyle they followed up with a couple of good frees from Michael McCann before MacCumhaill’s Thomas Tourish opened their account from a free. Niall Campbell scored another goal for Burt just before the break to leave the half-time score 2-7 to 0- 2.
In the second half Burt were took complete control and added further points through Ardal McDermott, Seamus Grant and Niall Campbell. MacCumhaill’s only response was another Tourish free.
Burt scorers: A McDermott (0-1); A Wallace (0-2); S Grant (0-1); M Coyle (1- 0); N Campbell (1-2); R McLaughlin (1-1); M McCann (0-6).
MacCumhaill’s scorers: T Tourish (0-3).
Referee:Pat Curley (Milford)
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MONAGHAN Harps regained the Hurling Championship title with a commanding performance against reigning champions Clontibret in an exciting game in Castleblayney. Central to the Harps’ victory was a power-packed display by centre back Pat O’Connell who got good support from inter-county players Dave Hanrahan, Pat Walsh, Robbie Healy and Tom Ryan.
Monaghan Harps: O Connell, D McEnaney, G Curley, N Mullaney, D Connolly, P O’Connell, J O’Rourke, D Hanrahan, M Prunty, P McKenna, P Walsh (1-3), R Healy (0-3), E Finlay, T Ryan (1- 0), J Cullinane (2-0).
Subs: G Costigan for M Prunty, R Mulligan for E Finlay.
Clontibret: J J Sullivan, M McArdle, J McConnell, F Brennan, L Ward, M O’Dowd, K McEntee, G Sullivan, B McArdle, D Mulligan (0-2), K Lavelle (0-1), J Greene (0-1), J P Mone, P Ward (0-4), C Connolly (1-0).
Subs: P McEntee for M McArdle, M Rooney for J P Mone. Ref: G Devlin (Armagh)
