Zinedine Zidane: Great Goals Retold
The legendary Zizou talks FourFourTwo through his famous strike in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayer Leverkusen...
Zinedine Zidane had been absent for most of the first half of the 2002 Champions League Final against Bayer Leverkusen when Roberto Carlos hooked a fairly ropey cross towards him on the stroke of half-time.
As the ball drifted down, Zizou shaped his body carefully and walloped the ball home with a delicious left-footed volley (his ‘weak’ side). The strike would later be voted the best Champions League goal ever.
“I feel that volley was a beautiful and unique goal,” said the maestro later. “I don’t plan those goals – you just have to be ready when the opportunity appears. I hit it —precisely, quickly and just right. I remember thinking how lucky I was to catch the ball at the right angle and height.
“I’m glad the goal gave us the trophy – it was certainly one of the most important moments of my career.”
This article was originally published in the October 2010 edition of FourFourTwo.
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