Danone Nations Cup + Zizou
By: Inara | June 23rd, 2007
Sun, football, and Zizou…what more do you need?
Every year, FIFA and the French Football Federation hold an international football tournament for children aged 10-12. Sponsored mainly by Danone and hosted by Olympique Lyonnais, the Danone Nations Cup gives boys and girls the chance to believe in their dreams and to unite different cultures and races where the emphasis is on openness and fraternity.
Everyone’s favorite headbutter and footballer extraordinaire, Zinedine Zidane, is the ambassador for the Danone Nations Cup, and he will kicking off this year’s World Finals on July 1 .
There are participants from forty countries, including Brazil, Bangladesh, Tunisia, Italy, Romania, etc. This past year, over 2.5 million children, hoping to represent their countries at the Stade de Gerland, tried out for the tournament.
Lyon will be overrun by 640 children this week, all excited about the chance to play at OL’s Champions League stadium in front of 32,000 spectators (with a television audience in the millions), with stars such as Zidane, Bixente Lizarazu, and Lilian Thuram cheering them on.
All proceeds from the tournament are donated to ELA (European Leukodystrophies Association), a charity organization sponsored by Zidane.
Some heartwarming pictures from DNC 2006:
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Comments
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Excuse me. Did you just say Zidane, Lizarazu AND Thuram? In the same sentence? Talking about them being in the same place? I think my brain just short-circuited at the thought.
Posted from
United States
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Don’t tell anyone, but I have a big crush on Lizarazu. I would melt into a puddle should I ever see him face to face.
Jo, are you going to be at this event? If so, let us know how it goes!
Posted from
United States -
I have an adorable Lizarazu photo on my other computer from the France-Greece game. You’ve probably already seen it, but I’ll see if I can’t track it down and post it somewhere anyway.
Posted from
United States -
Yes Inara
I was there last year, and I met Zizou… As you can imagine that was… so incredible ! I work in a radio station, and I was offering on air a meet and great with Zinedine. I will do exactly the same thing next week, and I come with the child who has earned this present.
If U want to, I can send U the photo I took last year of Zizou with the child he met… that was soo fantastic how the child was looking at zidane… like a son to his father. I think he saw God ! (and so did I !)I will tell U how it was, this year
Posted from
France -
Zizou is a legend, but I will never forgive him for what happened at the last World Cup.He cost us the victory.
Posted from
United States -
Oh please do post it!
I would love to meet Zidane one day. Something about him is so…benevolent. I can’t blame the kid for thinking he saw a god! I would be kneeling on Zidane’s altar every morning in that case.
I’ve also decided that I need to quit school, move to Lyon, and get a job at the Gerland somewhere. You are so lucky, Jo!
Julien, I know how you feel. I too was disappointed when that happened, but looking back on it, France should have put that game away long before the headbutt ever happened. For such a good team, the lack of brilliance was a bit sad. I know the Italians were very good opponents, but France had a better collection of individual manpower that day.
Posted from
United States -
i’ll be there again this year, but not for ZZ or even tutu… i love watching football at this age! it’s a great day out and the tickets are almost free! the same price as the metro there and back!
Posted from
France -
My sister and I went to the DNC last year. It was loads of fun, as fun as many professional football match I went to. The enthusiasm these kids showed was great, and we saw footballing as its meant to be, not money driven, ego enhanced, premiershit.
Posted from
United States -
Here is a picture of Zidane last year, for the DNC, with the boy who wan the meet & great ! Look at his eyes !
http://www.nrjblog.fr/web/ImageResizer?image=2173851&type=2Posted from
France -
Thanks for the pic, Jo! That’s hilarious, the kid is thunderstruck! (I would be too!)
Posted from
United States -
I’m just back from the Danone Nation’s cup. I’ve seen the final between France and South Africa. SA win 3-0. This young africans players were VERY impressive ! Technically so much better than France, and a very collective way of playing. I’ve loved watching this game. The weather was awful, raining during all the match but the show was great.
Zidane was here, I haven’t see him (except when he was on the grass shaking kids hands), so no picture, I’m sorry. JMA was here too, next to Gerard Collomb (lyon’s mayor) and Sonny Anderson
Here you can see a vid of Sonny’s arrival : http://www.olympique-et-lyonnais.com/Posted from
France -
NB : Gerland’s spectators (who would have to be France supporters) did a standing ovation to South Africa during the match ! So you can imagine how much they were crack !
Posted from
France -
Ohhh GOD…Please!please! help me!makes my Dream Come True….that I can Meet ZiZOu,…even just once.
Arrrrggggghhhhh…
Posted from
Indonesia -
jaimerai bien faire parti des des joueurs de danone natione cup de France
Posted from
United States -
referee looked at reply for 3 times and then second referee made his dicision.
think zizou didnt deserve what happened,we all know what italian and french lip readers thought matarazzi said,
he is a one dirty dog.
hail zizou, france should have won the cup,
italy lost to usa lets not forget thatPosted from
United States
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