President Jacques Chirac hailed French captain Zinedine Zidane -- sent off for violent conduct in the World Cup final against Italy -- as a "football genius" at a lunch for the French team on Monday.
PARIS: President Jacques Chirac hailed French captain Zinedine Zidane -- sent off for violent conduct in the World Cup final against Italy -- as a "football genius" at a lunch for the French team on Monday.
Chirac, who had attended Sunday evening's final in Berlin where Zidane was red-carded for headbutting the chest of an Italian player, said he was passing on "the admiration and affection of an entire nation, and also its respects.
He added: "You are a virtuoso, a genius of world football, you are also a man of heart, of commitment and of conviction. That is why France admires you and loves you."
France lost the final on penalties after the match finished 1-1 at the end of extra time, Zidane having opened the scoring with a first-half penalty.
His red card however in the second period of extra time deprived France of their most inspirational player and their first-choice penalty taker.
The French team touched down earlier at Charles de Gaulle airport outside Paris where around 100 supporters cheered their return.
An hour later their coach parked outside the Elysee Palace in central Paris where several hundred supporters clapped and shouted "merci les Bleus" as the players were greeted one by one by Chirac and his wife Bernadette on the steps of the presidential residence.
French coach Raymond Domenech was also on hand, as was Djibril Cisse, who had been ruled out of the World Cup after being injured in the final warm-up game, and the players' wives and girlfriends.
Goalkeeper Fabien Barthez was the only absentee from the reception, having been excused for family reasons.
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