will.i.am
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EXCLUSIVE
ZINEDINE ZIDANE, one of world football's most decorated figures, is winging his way to Sydney for one last hurrah on June 1.
Zidane - a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year who won the World Cup with France in 1998 and was sensationally sent off in the 2006 Cup final against Italy - will make a whirlwind 72-hour trip to Sydney that will include an exhibition match, a coaching clinic, and appearances at several corporate events.
The 35-year-old will fly into Sydney on May 31 from Noumea, directly after appearing in a charity match organised by Christian Karembeu, his New Caledonian-born teammate from the 1998 French World Cup-winning side.
Both Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners have been approached to take part in the game, scheduled for June 1 at the Sydney Football Stadium, with suggestions the former Real Madrid and Juventus star could play 45 minutes for each team.
However, efforts to have Football Federation Australia sanction the match have been frustrated by internal regulations banning exhibition games taking place within 14 days of an international featuring the Australian national team.
Australia is scheduled to play Ghana in Sydney on May 23 and Iraq in Brisbane on June 1, the same day the Zidane game is scheduled.
Filling out the calendar further, Sydney is also hosting FIFA's annual congress on May 29 and May 30, immediately before Zidane's arrival.
Other options for the match include Zidane leading his France '98 teammates who will play in New Caledonia - including goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, striker Youri Djorkaeff, Didier Deschamps and Laurent Blanc - against a team representing the Professional Footballers' Association.
"The idea came from my eight-year-old son Brooklyn," organiser Alain Barataud said. "He said 'why don't we bring Zizou to Sydney?'
"I chased Zidane for 18 months. He said yes from the start but it took that long to find a date."
Although FFA will not be officially involved in Zidane's visit, the trip could benefit Australia's 2018 World Cup bid.
"We're also going to show Zizou around Sydney so he can see what it would be like to have the World Cup here," Barataud said.
"I would love it if Zidane ended up supporting Australia's bid for 2018."
Zidane's last game as a professional player was the dramatic 2006 World Cup final in Berlin between France and Italy.
After scoring early he was sent off in extra-time after headbutting Italian bad boy Marco Materazzi in the chest.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/football...dney-exhibition/2008/04/05/1207249537731.html
My football idol is coming to Sydney!! Hope he gets to play in some form of capacity.
ZINEDINE ZIDANE, one of world football's most decorated figures, is winging his way to Sydney for one last hurrah on June 1.
Zidane - a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year who won the World Cup with France in 1998 and was sensationally sent off in the 2006 Cup final against Italy - will make a whirlwind 72-hour trip to Sydney that will include an exhibition match, a coaching clinic, and appearances at several corporate events.
The 35-year-old will fly into Sydney on May 31 from Noumea, directly after appearing in a charity match organised by Christian Karembeu, his New Caledonian-born teammate from the 1998 French World Cup-winning side.
Both Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners have been approached to take part in the game, scheduled for June 1 at the Sydney Football Stadium, with suggestions the former Real Madrid and Juventus star could play 45 minutes for each team.
However, efforts to have Football Federation Australia sanction the match have been frustrated by internal regulations banning exhibition games taking place within 14 days of an international featuring the Australian national team.
Australia is scheduled to play Ghana in Sydney on May 23 and Iraq in Brisbane on June 1, the same day the Zidane game is scheduled.
Filling out the calendar further, Sydney is also hosting FIFA's annual congress on May 29 and May 30, immediately before Zidane's arrival.
Other options for the match include Zidane leading his France '98 teammates who will play in New Caledonia - including goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, striker Youri Djorkaeff, Didier Deschamps and Laurent Blanc - against a team representing the Professional Footballers' Association.
"The idea came from my eight-year-old son Brooklyn," organiser Alain Barataud said. "He said 'why don't we bring Zizou to Sydney?'
"I chased Zidane for 18 months. He said yes from the start but it took that long to find a date."
Although FFA will not be officially involved in Zidane's visit, the trip could benefit Australia's 2018 World Cup bid.
"We're also going to show Zizou around Sydney so he can see what it would be like to have the World Cup here," Barataud said.
"I would love it if Zidane ended up supporting Australia's bid for 2018."
Zidane's last game as a professional player was the dramatic 2006 World Cup final in Berlin between France and Italy.
After scoring early he was sent off in extra-time after headbutting Italian bad boy Marco Materazzi in the chest.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/football...dney-exhibition/2008/04/05/1207249537731.html
My football idol is coming to Sydney!! Hope he gets to play in some form of capacity.
