Zinedine Zidane: The Making of a Soccer Legend

It would undoubtedly be the most spectacular comeback in soccer history and would be a fitting final chapter in the career of an assuming man of immense talent who has rightly added his name to the list of the game's legends over the past decade.

As France prepare for a World Cup final against Italy, Zinedine Zidane is on the cusp of achieving a feat that the 14-year old prodigy he once was could not have dreamed of as he tirelessly worked with a ball in the drab alleyways of Le Castellane, one of the poorest immigrant quarters of Marseille.

Last year, France were failing miserably in their quest for qualification for the World Cup before Zidane returned to guide them to Germany. Now, France and their inspirational captain is just one game away from recapturing the prize they won in 1998.

Such is the impact Zidane has had since coming out of retirement; no-one refers much to the strange occurrence that led to his change of heart.

Having hung up his international boots after Les Bleus failed to retain their European title at Euro 2004, Zidane agreed to come back after a nocturnal visitation: "One night about three o'clock in the morning I woke up suddenly and began speaking with someone. Afterwards I didn't tell anyone about it, not even my wife. It was like a revelation, and suddenly I realized I had to go back on my decision to retire."

Zizou returns to drive France to qualification

His unscripted u-turn with three qualifiers to go sparked euphoria among French fans and an immediate upturn in the national team's performance. With Zidane back as "number ten" France safely secured their place in the 2006 finals as group winners.

If that wasn't encore enough for the three time FIFA World Player of the Year, Zidane has now dragged a faltering French side up by its boot laces and drove it on to the brink of World Cup glory.

When France arrived in Germany, Zidane was written off after three years of stagnation in the soap opera surroundings of the Santiago Bernabeu. Zidane cut a forlorn figure for most of his last season with Real Madrid and France's early form in the World Cup suggested that his desire and motivation on the international stage had been blunted by his final experiences in Madrid.

But then the Zizou of old appeared again to dispatch Spain in the last 16 and then showed that there were still a few world class performances left in the old legs by masterminding the elimination of Brazil in the quarter-final in Frankfurt July 1.

Zidane holds a masterclass while beating Brazil

The masterly 34-year-old midfielder had already destroyed the South Americans in the 1998 final in Paris scoring two goals in a 3-0 win. And he was the inspiration again in the 2006 showdown, eclipsing world footballer of the year Ronaldinho in midfield and gliding over the 57th minute free-kick to the unmarked Thierry Henry at the far post for him to volley in the winner.

The tributes flowed in, most tellingly from the greatest footballer of all time, Pele. "Zidane was the magician in the game," the Brazilian, who also wore the No. 10 shirt, said.

"Zidane is one of the greatest players in history, a magnificent player," Germany's two time World Cup winner Franz Beckenbauer said on the eve of his Brazil masterpiece.

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira described the Real Madrid midfielder simply as "a monster."

Another Gallic icon, Michel Platini, ventured: "Technically, I think he is the king of what's fundamental in the game: control and passing, because I don't think anyone can match him when it comes to controlling or receiving the ball."

World Cup icon inspires dreams of 1998 repeat

Zidane's performance in Frankfurt reminded everyone of the mastery that was at the core of France's charge to the title on home turf eight years ago, his two bullet headers in the final earning him cult status. "I think his two goals left an indelible mark on a whole generation," said Platini. The frustration of his swansong season in Madrid seemed to melt away in the quarter-final as the world champions were sent packing.

Now the French can dream again of the Arc de Triomphe bathed in Zidane's image again as it was that night in '98 when the boulevards of Paris rang out with the name of the player whose personal success was presented as the embodiment of multi-racial France.

With a potential World Cup final penciled in as his last ever competitive game and the prospect of lifting the trophy as captain as his last act as a professional soccer player, Zidane has the chance to cap a remarkable career in Berlin on July 9.

Humble beginnings lead to dizzy heights

Zizou's club career took off at Cannes before his 17th birthday. His precocious talent then attracted Bordeaux and eventually Italian giants Juventus. In Italy his stock rose sharply as he won the European Super Cup, two Intercontinental Cups and two Italian championships.

After helping France win Euro 2000, he moved to Real for what is still a record 75 million euros ($95.4 million) and two years later he scored a superb left-footed volley in the Spaniards' win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League final.

Zidane made his France debut in a friendly against the Czech Republic on August 17, 1994, scoring the first of his 28 international goals. "Through his immense talent and multiple exploits, Zizou has made his mark forever on the history of French and international soccer," said current France coach Raymond Domenech.

That mark may be even more indelible if the greatest comeback the game has ever seen is crowned in gold in the Olympiastadion on Sunday night.