the sporting life

World Cup Wrap Up: Addendum


A World Cup mvp for Zidane?

In an unexpected twist, Zinedine Zidane was today awarded the "Golden Ball" as the World Cup's most valuable player. Italy's captain Fabio Cannavaro can be said to have been unlucky in the voting. He was the central defending leader of a typically impregnable Italian defense that didn't allow their opponents a single goal in the run of play their entire duration of the tournament, which of course speaks to the quality of goal keeper Gianluigi Buffon. And in light of Sunday's red card, both men seemed to be running ahead of Zidane. Passed over for the award in 1998 for Brazilian striker Ronaldo despite France's victory, what must be going through the Frenchman's mind on this day?

(...strangely, the Golden Ball has a history of avoiding the champions. Of the seven times the award has been given, only three have gone to players on the winning team, none in the last three Cups. This is unheard of in American sports...)

Today's announcement is sweet vindication, indeed. The voters squarely and correctly put the events of Sunday in keen perspective. With this salute, they ensured that Zidane's momentary lapse of reason, rash and shockingly violent as it was, shall be remembered as failing to overshadow his play even in this tournament, let alone that of his career. Let's all settle down, put to rest any notions of lasting stains to legacies, and put the booking in the past, an attitude toward the whole affair that now must be seen as substantially sanctioned. Some retirement gift, eh Zinedine?