Deja vu, Euro 2000. We now have our two finalists -- the Azzurri and the Les Bleus (Italy and France for those not well versed in nicknames). Take your pick will you? So did the two best teams make it? Yes and no.
Yes in Italy's case and no in case of the French. But when Zinedine Zidane is playing such outstanding football, who are we wish him stop? The more the merrier we say! Allez Zizou! Allez Les Blues and not to forget Forza Azzurri!
Anyhow diversion from the topic at hand is a trait we better avoid. Therefore let us get to how the French made it into their second final in eight years to complete a remarkable peak-drop-peak journey.
If the first semifinal was a yardstick to judging this one, then it would end as a disappointment. There was relatively no drama, very little incident, not as much intensity as well but as far as a game of football goes it was a good enough spectacle. Maybe not worthy of a World Cup semifinal but hey, we all needed a rest after that adrenaline pumping 120 minutes in Dortmund!
Portugal started brightly, in a free flowing end to end opening that was characterised by the referees whistle - or lack thereof. Sepp Blatter must have had a word with the men in the middle because there was a glaring lack of yellow on display. We know that no one likes cards being brandished needlessly but when you see people get away with dives like Ronaldo and Helder Postiga then there must be something wrong.
In defence of Sepp however, his advice to 'go easy' meant that we were treated with a first ten minutes devoid of a single foul something unheard of in this day and age.
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Portugal pressed and their attacking midfield trio of Ronaldo, Deco and Figo constantly troubled the French defence, which was led by Makalele and Vieira. Lilian Thuram was impeccable as centre-half, hardly putting a foot wrong and Willy Sagnol and William Gallas looked the part as well, invoking memories of that superb French backline of 1998.
Zidane oozed class as usual while Malouda and Ribery looked lively. Theirry Henry, leading the line played well and bought his team a priceless penalty, courtesy of a theatrical fall after very little contact from Ricardo Carvalho. Yes, Henry had nutmegged Carvalho via a superb change of direction, but his elaborate tumble to the ground didn't win him too many fans. But in the Arsenal man's defence, we have seen penalties given for less (haven't we all?). Debateable penalty for France against Portugal? Ring any bells? It certainly did for the producers who immediately switched to footage of a very different looking Abel Xavier!
And up stepped who else but
Zidane to blast home past Ricardo who for all his wonderful exploits against England (seriously it was only English penalties he saved!) never had a chance of saving this one. 1-0 to the French and that was how it would end.
Portugal huffed and puffed and even dived for good measure but ultimately their best chance fell to Figo via a Barthez fumble from a Ronaldo freekick. Aside from that the Portuguese hardly created a chance and the lack of support to Postiga and Pauleta before him is a big concern. Deco looked short of his best and that may have proved a crucial undoing. Cristiano Ronaldo is a wonderful talent, but that inexplicable habit of always releasing the ball late refuses to leave him. But the 21-year-old will have more World Cup's to showcase his worth.
Not so for old man Figo who was outmatched for most of the match by fellow Galactico Zidane, who continued his systematic annihilation of Real Madrid teammates. First Raul and Casillas then Carlos and Ronaldo and now Luis Figo. What's up next the magicians' sleeve?