Zinédine Zidane’s golden goal lights up France v Portugal, 28 June 2000 | OneFootball

As France head coach, Zinédine Zidane returns to Brussels on Monday at 20:45 to face Belgium in the Nations League. It is the King Baudouin Stadium where he delivered one of his greatest performances, the Euro 2000 semi-final against Portugal, won 2-1 by a golden goal penalty.

As reported by L'Équipe, that night has come to define the scale of his influence in blue.

On 28 June 2000, Portugal led through Nuno Gomes on 19 minutes. Thierry Henry levelled on 51 from Nicolas Anelka’s cross, and Fabien Barthez saved superbly from Abel Xavier’s header at 90.

In extra time, Sylvain Wiltord’s driven centre was handled by Xavier on 114 minutes. Assistant Igor Srmaka, a tax consultant in Bratislava, signalled the penalty, the first time an assistant had done so. Designated taker Youri Djorkaeff was on the bench.

Zidane had converted all three of his shootout efforts for France but had never scored a penalty in 58 caps. After prolonged protests, he sent Vitor Baia the wrong way on 117 minutes, the golden goal that put France into the final. He later said he knew immediately how he would take it.

He won the Ballon d’Or in 1998 for his World Cup final brace against Brazil in a 3-0 win, yet no match at that tournament matched his Euro 2000 heights. This display is often set alongside his showing in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final, a 1-0 win over Brazil in Frankfurt, with debate over which was finer. He missed a second Ballon d’Or after a Champions League headbutt on 24 October 2000 against Hamburg, which brought a straight red for a clash with Jochen Kientz.

On his twelfth birthday, 23 June 1984, he was at the Vélodrome in Marseille to see Michel Platini beat Portugal 3-2 on 119 minutes.

Christophe Dugarry later portrayed a magician who had become more of a leader, in resplendent physical shape, doing everything faster without losing ease. With stops, roulettes and relentless changes of direction, it was irresistible. That is how Brussels is remembered.

Source: L'Équipe

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