Zidane Speaks. And Jumps out of Airplanes

January 14th, 2008 | By: Laurie | 11 Comments »

zidane3.jpgZidane can go for months and months without talking with the press, and then BOOM. A very long an interesting interview.

The last big interview I saw with Zidane was close to a year ago, and he sounded unsettled. Now he sounds happy with life, thrilled to be spending time on charity and with his family, and ready to move on to the next phase. Which, with luck will involve soccer in some form. But, alas, not on the field. (And no, sadly, he’s definitely not coming to MLS.)

Original article is here. Google translation to English is here. The google translation is a much better one than usual. I didn’t even need alcohol to understand most of it.

A few of my favorite parts:

He spends the first part of the interview talking about the parachute jump he did for the ELA charity show. (Remember, last year, he learned to ride dressage.) Video of the jump is at the bottom. And then we get this:

I have no regrets about my decision [to retire]. But today, it is true that I miss the pitch. I practiced seventeen years the highest level … Inevitably, when you stop … There is a break that is pleasant, the urge to cut, but, at a given moment, you feel a lack. The adrenaline that you want and need. Not necessarily with competition. Rather with all these diffuse sensations: the pressure of the game, the victory … That lack. Today, I take it easy, quiet. I live my life, I spend more time with my family. Everything that I did not do before. I recovered something and lost something else.

This state of grace where you taste your freedom ends when? Now. The lack manifests itself a year and a half later. Athletes admit they feel “wrong” or even “dirty” when they do not train … Not dirty, but it is true that when I was playing, after two or three days of rest, I was not well. I needed to train every day. Inevitably, when you no longer move… I made the cut a good time: two months of vacation to do nothing physically. Not even a ten metre race! But after that, I needed to recover myself, to not [vegetate.]

And:

When I make a trip to Bangladesh on behalf of Dannon, I take a real pleasure in doing it. It’s the same when I prepare a match with the United Nations for “friends of Zidane and Ronaldo.” When I go to Niger as roving ambassador of UNDP (UN Programme for Development), it delights me! (With conviction, he support his words with hand gestures.) It give me pleasure to be back on the field, for example, in front of this woman who gave birth to triplets. We put up a clinic, where before the same woman had given birth at home. To see that, or to see a literacy school frequented by women 50 years of age who cannot read, that gives me pleasure. And, more than that, I can share it with my children.

You were in Niger with your children? Yes, I brought my three children. For three years my son Lucas has had a pen-pal in Niger. For a long time he wanted to go visit him. We worked it out with his teacher. It’s good that they see lives different from their own. I feel very lucky to share it with my children. I have also been able to take them to Egypt, Indonesia. It’s extraordinary!

Be sure to read the rest of the interview, because it’s very interesting. And if you’re a Zidane fan, you’ll come away happy that he seems to be enjoying his life.

(Thanks to Talia and Doumé and Alexander for the links)

And now for that sky-diving video:


ZIZOU-PARACHUTISTE POUR ELA
Uploaded by flo_6


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Comments
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[...] Zizou breaks his media silence (France Blog) [...]

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Username By sandrahn | January 14th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
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THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS!!!!!! GOD, I MISS ZIZOU!!!!

Posted from United States United States

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Username By magician | January 14th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
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thank you for posting this. I am working on a full translation of the article and it’s good to know that the google translation is useful. lol
I loved the article. he gives long interesting answers. and the new pictures weren’t bad either. *grin*

and I miss Zizou, too, sandra!

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Username By Jean-Michel | January 15th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
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the dvd he released “le dernier match” is very nice (zizou fan speaking but still). Many guest appearances and of course the build up and moments before both the last Real & EDF game.

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Username By Laurie | January 15th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
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Jean-Michel, do you have it? Where did you buy it?

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Username By Jean-Michel | January 16th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
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Laurie,
I was unable to respond until now. Here is where I got the movie:
http://www.mininova.org/tor/1054243

Posted from United States United States

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Username By john | January 16th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
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It’s sad that ZZ hasn’t yet realized that for him to truly be at peace is to issue a formal apology to the Matrix and all football fans around the world.

He contributed so much to football and his last moments on the world greatest stage ended in shame.

Hopefully someone close to him, whether it be family, friends or his psychiatrist will convince him that the apology the entire world is waiting for is the best thing for him. His charity work is great but no substitute.

Allez.

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Username By Jean-Michel | January 17th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
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good luck with that john

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Username By john | January 17th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
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Thanks but wish ZZ luck with his soul and mental health.

I’m good, but thanks again for the good wishes.

Allez

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Username By magician | January 19th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
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He already apologized two days after the incident. And it’s left to him wether to apologize to materazzi or if the guy even deserves an apology. I don’t think he should do anything just to please the public. and anyway…it happened. if he says sorry to matrix, it won’t change anything.

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Username By Talia | January 19th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
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Zizou has no reason to apologize to The Uterus ( matrix is latin for uterus after all so you know what I really want to call him but i don’t want to be too obscene on Laurie’s blog)
Anyway, Zizou can sleep at well at night– he has enough good karma to see him into nirvana and as for The Uterus — all i can say is, get him to an excorcist ASAP assuming there is a soul in there somewhere (we already know there is no conscience) or at the very least get him a rabies shot.

Posted from United States United States

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