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The original was posted on /r/soccer by /u/Sparky-moon on 2026-03-02 12:33:21+00:00.
Original Title: Zidane on his Panenka penalty in the 2006 WC final: “It’s a different move. But I had to do it because ‘Gigi’ Buffon was facing me. He knows me too well. I know him too. I had to surprise him, and as soon as I got the ball, I knew I was going to do that.”
“It’s a different move. But I had to do it because ‘Gigi’ Buffon was facing me. He knows me too well. I know him too. I had to surprise him, and as soon as I got the ball, I knew I was going to do that. Usually, when I took penalties, I would strike from right to left. I would close my foot [hooking the shot].”
“In general, I did everything instinctively, with my heart, I didn’t calculate. That’s why football is so great. It has to be spontaneous to be creative.”
“In fact, “Gigi” dives immediately to the right in the final. I tell myself that I have to innovate, that I have to come up with something to get past him. If I miss, it doesn’t matter because there’s still time left (he scores in the 7th minute). I like what I did. In general, I did everything instinctively, with my heart, I didn’t calculate. That’s why football is so great. It has to be spontaneous to be creative. People love that, the madness, the creativity, when things happen. You miss, you succeed. It doesn’t matter. The important thing is to create emotions.”