The victory of the French team at the 1998 World Cup marked a whole generation of supporters. The 22 players selected by Aimé Jacquet for this competition have changed dimension. Starting with Bixente Lizarazu. A few months before the listing of the list, the former left side was actually at the worst.
His first and only season at Athletic Bilbao, in 1996-1997, had gone wrong and the ex-bordelais trained a pubalgia which accompanied him to Bayern Munich, the following summer. “I couldn't find my qualities when before I felt indestructible, I felt superman”he testifies in the podcast Winning Mindsbroadcast on YouTube.
Bixente Lizarazu and the Blues before France-Brazil, July 12, 1998.
“I came from so far, I thought I was going to lose everythinghe recalls. I was so low down in the loss of my identity as an athlete, because I had physical problems and I couldn't find sensations, that I lost self -confidence. »» It was from January 1998 that “Liza” ended up recovering, little by little.
Bixente Lizarazu: “I was really at the bottom of the cellar”
“I had a motivation that was completely crazy, it was almost an attitude of suicide bomber. It was: I get there where I diehe said. I made a lot of effort, I pushed like never in my life and there was the reward. I was going to do this World Cup and I was ready for this World Cup. »» With the success we know for the Blues.
“In the space of a year, I went from the abyss to paradise. I was really at the bottom of the cellar, in the worst possible situation for a high -level athletehe adds. And then you win the most beautiful title in your sport, this 1998 World Cup. In France. For me, there is nothing better than that. Let go. Final, Brazil, 3-0. Afterwards, you can break. »»
