Hello, fellow football fans!
This is a review of the Brazil-France 2006 FIFA World Cup match.
Back in 2006, expectations were set high for players of both teams, and particularly Brazil, in my opinion.
With the likes of Kafu, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho, fans waited for them to score more than a handful of goals in this match.
In the first half, ball possession was shared equally between the two teams.
Every time a Brazilian player took the ball, two or three French players ran to him to mark him and take possession of the ball, and vice versa.
The defenses of both teams were hard and solid as a rock, which made it impossible for attackers to penetrate them.
As a result, the goalkeepers of both teams, that is Dida for Brazil, and Barthez for France, had a relatively easy first half.
In the second half, France stepped it up, and although they still faced a rigid Brazilian defensive line, the French midfielders and attackers seemed to have the ball on their feet more than their Brazilian opponents.
Thus, the French started to find their way through and between the Brazilian defenders, and move more easily on the pitch.
The Brazilians, on the other hand, seemed to hit a wall, every time they tried to move a few yards forward, because they were marked very closely by the French defenders who didn’t give them any breathing space.
In the end, it was time for Zinedine Zidane to show off his unparalleled world class and talent once again.
The Brazilian stars, who were also elite players with many laurels and accolades under their belts, as well as global recognition as cream of the crop, or "crème de la crème" as the French say, seemed to be unable to stop Zidane.
So, when the latter hit a free kick, Thiery Henry was in the right place and at the right moment to take full advantage of the opportunity to score a decisive goal and seal victory for France.
Overall, although the first half was a bit boring to watch, with two equal teams fighting for ball possession and dominance, and not any major scoring opportunities, the second half had more sparkle, with the players of both teams trying to play more openly and create opportunities, with the French side making the difference as a whole.
