The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium was crowded with fans. They were there not only to see their team play, but also to say goodbye to the “exemplary son” Zinedine Zidane, one of the few players that has never been booed by fans.

Zidane’s family (his parents, three brothers, two sisters, his wife and three of his children) were there too. Thousands of shirts with his photo could be seen both outside and inside the Stadium. When the Real Madrid walked onto the field, the 78,000 people in the Stadium showed T-shirt-shaped white cards with number 5, Zidane’s T-shirt number, on them. Fans gave him a standing ovation for three minutes.

The match against Villarreal finished 3-3; Zidane scored once. When the referee marked the end of the match, the French player looked at the stands and burst into tears. His wife Veronique was by his side, holding his hand.

Zidane is to retire after FIFA World Cup Germany 2006.