The Guardian ponders whether we owe the re-emergence of Zinedine Zidane to the Spanish media for taunting the old master ahead of Spain’s second round clash with France. “Spain’s sporting press has always worn its power like a badge of honour, but even by its standards this was something else — this was playing God.” La Marca posted this headline ahead of the game: “We’re Going to Retire Zidane!” The British paper delights in pointing out how disastrous the consequence of these bold claims proved to be, but it was quite a gift for the rest of the world: Zidane has been at his vintage best in the last three games, scoring twice and assisting Thierry Henry’s shot heard round the world against Brazil. Since then, every pundit under the sun it seems has implored the maestro to give us one, maybe two more years. Players have, too. Let’s hope he doesn’t diminish the significance of such an amazing series of performances by continuing. We’ve heard from Zidane before that once his mind is made up, it’s all over, but let us not forget he retired once from international play following France’s ignonymous exit at Euro 2004. “The reality,” the Guardian says, “is that Zidane’s retirement is overdue … And, as proud as he is intelligent, the Frenchman is well aware of that.” His re-emergence, as amazing as it is, is a fleeting a moment in time that we should cherish and respect as such. Let us not forget, too, that barely three games ago, the French press called him an “obstacle” to success, asking “Can Zidane’s legs last?” before answering: “His performances so far would suggest not.”