© AFP The date is 17 August 1994 and France are trailing 2-0 to Czech Republic in a Bordeaux friendly. On the bench, Fabien Barthez has just one cap to his name and Zinedine Zidane is awaiting his debut. With 63 minutes gone, the young playmaker enters the fray for Corentin Martins – and promptly turns the match on its head.
“It was his first appearance,” recalls Barthez, reliving that landmark night for FIFA.com. “He came on and immediately took control. He took responsibility for our play.” He also weighed in with a sumptuous pair of goals: one netted from 25 metres with the outside of his left boot and the other a header planted high into the net.
Like everyone else, Barthez was left astonished by what he had just seen – and not for the last time. Plenty more breathtaking moments lay ahead before the two brothers in arms retired together in 2006, but Barthez has stopped being surprised by his old friend"s exploits. Back in the present day, the former France goalkeeper is not ..
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