Allez Les Bleus AND Zizou!

OK, just about time to retire the two-decade attachment to the phrase "Michel Platini, considered by many to be France's greatest player ever."

There can no longer be any argument, as France reached its second of the past three World Cup finals on the coattails of their magnificient midfielder, Zinedine Zidane, affectionately known as Zizou. It is this soon-to-be retired maestro, who is in fact, France's best ever.

The three-time FIFA World Player of the Year effectively dispatched Portugal with a justly called 33rd minute penalty kick to move his team into Sunday's final against Italy. France had to dodge a couple of near misses by Portugal, early and late, but then France was also unlucky not to be ahead 2-0 shortly into the second half as a Thierry Henry shot off his breaking the left flank spun off Portugese goalkeeper Ricardo's wrist just wide of the near post.

Of late, the French have had the Italians' number, beating them in both the 1998 World Cup, on PKs in the quarterfinals, and in heart-breaking (if you're Italian) fashion in a 2-1 win at the 2000 European Championships. In that match, Sylvain Wiltord tied the match at one with only 30 seconds left in second-half injury time, and then the French won when David Trezeguet scored the winner with 13 seconds left in sudden-death overtime.

Sunday, Les Bleus have their chance to cement their place in history as one of the era's best. Italy, chip on their collective shoulders, feeling it's them against the world (and with a number of world-class players soon to be relegated to second and third-division sides as a result of the country's match-fixing scandal), is a formidable object in that path for France.

As with all the content of this blog, written and photographic, Copyrighted 2006, All Rights Reserved, Perry McIntyre, Atlanta, GA - USA.