Zizou’s the refrain

BERLIN: Germans are known to be sombre and rigid in their adherence to rules, yet to see no touts outside the historic Olympic Stadium (where Hitler was shamed by Jesse Owens and Dhyan Chand in 1936) selling tickets in the black market for Sunday’s final was a tad strange. The final of the football World Cup is arguably the most high profile sports event on the planet, and surely there must be enough frenzied fans across Europe wanting a piece of the action.

“There are thousands,” says Laura, our chaperone from the Netherlands, “but they would be off the streets close to the stadium because the police are extremely strict. But you should see the action on eBay and other websites.”

Laura claims she saw a bid of 3,000 euros (about Rs1,70,000) when she visited eBay sometime back, and the stakes were still mounting rapidly.

“That’s not the kind of money I can afford,” says Francis, one of two hobo-like Frenchmen wearing a placard ‘Genuine football lovers want two tickets to the final’ and perambulating the stadium.

Francis and his friend crossed over from France after their team beat Brazil in the quarter-final, and have been sleeping “somewhere near the stadium” for the past week, convinced that Zinedine Zidane would lead his men into the final here.

“It’s not about form,” says Francis, “but about faith. Zizou will do it.” It’s a refrain that perhaps can be heard all over the world, and the 34-year-old Algerian from Marseilles will surely be the most watched man on earth for the 90 minutes when the final is in progress.

The planeload that landed in Berlin from Frankfurt Saturday morning was abuzz right through the hour-long flight about the impending final, and the role Zidane would play in it. A young woman from New Zealand, an avowed Italy supporter, was nevertheless warm towards the French maestro on the flight. “That’s because he is the best,” she said.

Many critics reckon, however, that Zidane’s best days as a footballer may be behind him, but his stature and charisma have grown, and never more rapidly than in the four weeks of this World Cup. Drawn out of retirement to lead a beleaguered team that was considered too rag-and-bobtail for the pressures and demands of a World Cup, Zidane has inspired a magnificent revival.

On form, Italy have looked sharper and more goal-worthy, but the final is an isolated event in itself, when the best players can get cold turkey. Which is why many experts also reckon that the more seasoned French players would be able to hold their nerves better on the big occasion.

The fact that these two teams are in the final is not without irony. Italy is going through a ‘football trauma’ with most of the players in this team being involved one way or the other in the betting and match-fixing scandal that threatens to ruin the sport in that country. A win here could stop the rot.

And just how France have got here, after barely qualifying, could make the stuff of legend. Now - sometimes through Zidane’s goals, more often through his presence - they have reached a stage where they are the clear sentimental favourites. But nobody knows it better than Zidane that sentiment alone cannot win matches in the World Cup. The pain of 2002 still persists. Only a win on Sunday can erase it permanently.