Zidane is France's future

I will freely admit to being one of those who thought the 34-year-old had passed his World Cup sell-by-date.

Just prior to the tournament, I advocated Raymond Domenech break the taboo on the intouchable Zizou and drop the Real Madrid star in favour of utilising the talents of Thierry Henry.

I was sitting watching France's first group games rather smugly as Zidane traipsed around the pitch wearily, before furiously stalking off after being subsituted by Domenech in the dreary draw with South Korea, which - at the time - looked like being the final match of his career.

All I can offer now is my sincere and humble apologies.

The Zidane of the knockout phase has been a pure delight, gambolling around the midfield with the vitality of a spring lamb, while - once again - taking matches by the scruff of the neck and taming them in France's favour.

My fears Zidane's decision to retire after the tournament meant his motivation had gone have proved unfounded with the 1998 World Cup winner clearly hell-bent on going out on the very highest of highs.

And in this sort of form, you would not bet against him doing it.

Much of the credit for the rebirth of the great man must go to the barbs of the Spanish sports press prior to the second round encounter with France with front pages screaming, 'Let's retire Zidane!'

It was a miscalculation of immense proportions as it ignited the glowing embers of immense pride and talent in Zidane who - though humble and already holder of every winner's medal in the game - has buried inside him a deep desire to win, win and win again.

You saw that ambition in the closing minutes of that game against Spain - racing fully fifty yards to beat Real team-mate Iker Casillas before celebrating with a certain self-satisfaction which was also reflected in his post-match message of 'Still here' to the Iberian media.

One great game does not make a swansong though, and Zidane was back at it against Brazil - the team he slew with a headed brace in 1998 - with another brilliant, vibrant display.

The claims of pretenders to his planetary playmaker crown - Ronaldinho and Kaka - were made to look hollow, a first-ever assist to a Thierry Henry goal and France, sadly inept a handful of weeks ago, are suddenly among the favourites for the World Cup.

And then, with the pressure of a nation on his shoulders - admittedly he should be used to it - and a goalkeeper who has just set a World Cup record by saving three penalties, he shows no more signs of nerves than if it were a kickaround in the park to send Portugal tumbling out and himself and his country into their second-ever World Cup final.

It has been one of the most majestic phoenix-esque rises from the ashes football has seen, on a par with compatriot Eric Cantona's return after his kung-fu kick ban, and I for one will happily munch on humble pie should Zidane add another star to that famous number ten shirt on July 9.