Hanover: Les Bleus are reborn. A side, which began the tournament squabbling among itself and privately bemoaning its manager's apparent shortcomings has reached the quarterfinals. Spain, so fancied and supremely confident, was torn apart on Tuesday night, its stunned reaction belying the fact that it knew precisely what had hit it. So much for Zinédine Zidane being a spent force.

Threat to Brazil

France has long pined for Zidane's return to form, and it will pose much more of a threat to Brazil now that he is bristling purposefully. This was a contest to coax the best from the former World footballer of the year, whose every game could be considered his last, and he duly imposed himself on Spain as well as the tournament. With every twist and shimmy, every duck of the shoulder and cleverly chipped pass, he is looking more like his old self. He alone was enough to confirm the French as a contender.

At times this was reminiscent of the France, which swept all before them in 1998 and then Euro 2000. Those were Zidane's finest years yet this must go down as one of his best displays. La Furia Roja had arrived intent on revenge, a legacy not least of their defeat to the French in Bruges six years ago, but they departed with familiar anticlimax choking their mood.

Spain's shortcomings

Spain should be a contender but for all its young talents — Cesc Fábregas is four years junior to the youngest France could offer — it lacks what the French boast in abundance: cunning and a sense of timing.

PHOTO: AP

AT HIS MERCY: Frank Ribery beats Spanish custodian Iker Casillas to slot in France's equaliser.

Alongside Zidane, Patrick Vieira is striding back into this tournament's all-star midfield. The Juventus midfielder was immense, just as he had been when France needed him most in Zidane's absence against Togo in its final group match. It seems ridiculous now that there were ever doubts that it would emerge from that mish-mash of a quartet.

Key moment

Seven minutes from time, with the match level and the sides ploughing into each other, Carles Puyol was penalised for apparently blocking Thierry Henry, whose theatrical reaction did him no favours. Spain was still crying foul when, from Zidane's resultant free-kick, Xabi Alonso could only flick on for Vieira to nod down powerfully at the far post. Iker Casillas might have blocked but the ball ricocheted from Sergio Ramos and in at the near post.

Raymond Domenech, the eccentric and much maligned France coach, stood motionless on the touchline until his players' celebrations confirmed the team's lead. He had faced the dilemma of selecting Zidane — with whom he endures such a strained relationship — after his one-match suspension against Togo, and he had been widely criticised for caving in to the easy option. He should be praised for what was a masterstroke.

Zidane was not done. His charge up-field in stoppage-time was rewarded with Sylvain Wiltord's clipped pass and the 34-year-old gathered, cut inside Puyol and slipped his shot left, where Casillas had sprung right. Domenech was afforded only a brief pat of thanks by his captain on the final whistle but he will hardly care.

Nightmare continues

This was torment for Spain to endure. With only one victory — and that in a friendly — over France in 25 years, this had been billed as an opportunity to exact revenge but instead it has prolonged the nightmare. It fell flat, maintaining a sorry tradition in major finals. All the zest enjoyed in spanking Ukraine, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia was lost against France's weightier experience. Youth ran aground. Spain's time should still come but it must learn in a bitter defeat.

For a while redemption had beckoned. Midway through the first period, with each team content in probing rather than flooding forward, Lilian Thuram stepped on Pablo Ibáñez's ankle as the Spaniard attempted to collect Alonso's pass. Domenech reacted with sarcastic applause to the penalty award, even then incapable of shedding the look of one haunted by potential failure, and David Villa duly slid in his third and last goal of the tournament low to Fabien Barthez's right.

Heir apparent

Yet only in the brief passage that followed did Spain revel in any confidence, its midfield momentarily nullifying Vieira's leggy presence and stamping out the nuisance that was Frank Ribéry. By the interval that pair had reclaimed the momentum, the former slipping his Marseille teammate through to gallop goalwards and past Casillas to scuff in the equaliser. Ribéry is Zidane's heir apparent and this was an indication of his talent.

Thereafter the heavyweight contest beguiled, half-chances traded and tackles biting before Les Bleus finished the job. Brazil awaits in Frankfurt on Saturday, a rerun of the final of 1998 and a match won by Zidane. The omens are with them.

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