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July 26 Claude Makelele - July 26th 2006As you read this I am out in the Mediterranean, relaxing and soaking up some sunshine on boat that has been loaned to me by a friend.
Football still seems many miles away from my world at the moment and I think I deserve a break because my season did not end until July 9 at the World Cup final in Berlin.
However, it will not be long before I start to prepare myself physically and mentally for the new campaign. I will be back at Stamford Bridge next Monday and begin the process of getting ready for another tilt at the big football prizes.
The rest of the first team squad will be in America on our pre-season trip but I am unlikely to join them. My fitness levels are usually pretty high so I will not have too much catching up to do with my conditioning.
I am very much looking forward to meeting up with my new team-mates Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko who were our two main signings of the summer.
They have a great deal of ability and experience, particularly in the Champions League.
Success in Europe will be our main target but of course we cannot afford to let the Premiership title go. As double champions we cannot be satisfied. We have to go for three in a row.
But that can wait for now. I will carry on relaxing and enjoying the company of my family in the sunshine. July 11 Claude Makelele - July 11th 2006My first feeling at the end of the World Cup final was one of guilt. Now that might seem a strange emotion but I genuinely thought I could have done more to influence the result of the game.
I was quite happy with my performance particularly in the second half but when I scrutinise my display in detail I know I could have done some things better – like a little pass here or a tackle there – that could have benefited the team.
It was, of course, all very upsetting but, as I have mentioned in this diary before, I am a very spiritual person, and sometimes these things are meant to be. To have reached the final was a fine achievement but to come so close to winning when we were the better team was a setback we all have to take in our stride.
The sending off of Zizou was the big talking point after the game. Whether he was verbally provoked into doing what he did, I don’t know. I have not talked to him about it yet because it was such a personal thing for him to deal with.
It is wrong for anyone to pass judgment on the incident unless we know all the facts. But I really do hope it will not cast a shadow over the career of the best footballer of his generation.
Zizou does not have to feel any guilt for what happened. He has contributed so much to French football in the past and the whole country and beyond should be grateful to him.
We were all awake until three o’clock in the morning after the game discussing what might have been but we cannot change the events that have happened and must get on with out lives.
I have yet to decide what my future in international football will be but I guess it is inevitable that I will retire now. It has been an honour to play for my country and I am so glad I gave it one more go at the World Cup finals.
I will be spending the next few weeks on holiday with my family at out home in the South of France and that will give me plenty of time to dwell on the future.
There are things to look forward to when I report back with Chelsea for training. The World Cup was a great adventure but life moves on. There is no point in dwelling on the past. July 07 Claude Makelele - July 7th 2006There is a new chant among the France fans at the World Cup finals. It has changed from “Allez Les Bleus” to “Allez Les Vieux” (The Old Men).
I am told it is also a popular chant back home in France where 300,00 people gathered in the Champs Elysees after the win against Portugal on Wednesday.
It was an emotional moment especially for myself and the other “old men” in the squad. Players like myself Lillian Thuram., Fabien Barthez and ,of course, the Grand Master Zinedine Zidane.
We all had the same feelings before the World Cup began. We were growing old but we all felt we had one last chance for glory with the national team. Now we are 90 minutes away from living our dreams.
So here we are ready to face Italy in the final. We were all very tired after the Portugal game but a few days rest and we will be ready to go again in Berlin. If we cannot recapture our energy for a World Cup final then we never will.
I speak for the rest of the squad in saying we would much rather be playing against Italy than Germany in front of their home fans.
But it is not going to be easy. The Italians, like France, have got better as the finals have progressed. I will be up against my fellow MSN ambassador, the Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, who has had an outstanding tournament.
I have never scored a goal for France and it would really be the cherry on the cake if I could get my first international goal in what will probably be my last game for my country.
We have to rid ourselves of all the emotion now and have clear minds before the final. We believe we have the experience on our side to lift the trophy. July 04 Claude Makelele - July 4th 2006“Please don’t leave us” – that was the headline message in one of the French newspapers on Sunday after our win over Brazil in the quarter finals.
It was aimed at Zinedine Zidane, who, as we all know, will be retiring from football at the end of the season. I know people will say that Zizou still has so much to offer the game but I am absolutely certain he will not change his mind and will carry through his decision to quit.
Zizou has admitted to me that last season he began to feel very tired when playing for Real Madrid. Clearly he is still a world class player but if his body is telling him that he should stop playing then he is wise to listen to it.
But you get the feeling now he is on a personal mission here in Germany to bow out on a real high – and there would be no better way than to do it by lifting the World Cup trophy.
Zizou has insisted he wants to quit while he is at the top and you don’t get much higher than by winning the biggest prize in the game. What a tribute that would be to one of the all-time great players.
Our victory over Brazil came as no surprise to us. We have maintained all along that the improvement in the team has been planned and aimed at reaching our peak at just the right time.
Some teams have started off brightly and faded. We made a slow but steady start and have gradually stepped up our performance level.
We are confident but cautious now as we prepare for the semi-final against Portugal. We have too many quality players not to have made an impact on these finals and we are now in the mood to go all the way. June 30 Claude Makelele - June 30th 2006The World Cup finals have brought me many opportunities to meet up with some close friends from opposition teams.The rivalry has been intense but enjoyable.
During our victory over Spain I came up against my former Real Madrid colleague Raul and I am happy to say I think I came out on top of that particular contest.
Now it is time for me to get to grips with Ronaldo when we face Brazil in the quarter finals. We were very good pals at Real Madrid but I can asure you that our friendship will be put on hold when we step out onto the field on Saturday.
There has been no contact between us before the game. That would not be appropriate but once the final whistle blows I am sure we will embrace each other and talk things over.
We think Brazil are beatable. We know they have some superbly talented strikers who can win matches in a fraction of a second but they can be vulnerable in defence and we can take advantage of that.
I think we have already proved our critics wrong at these finals. As professionals we knew we were on the right track and we were proved right in the victory against Spain. We can and will get even better.
Those who didn't believe in us must be feeling a little embarrassed now but we will not gloat. We will just keep our minds on what lies ahead.
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