Zinedine Zidane's retirement from international soccer means he joins the ranks of greats such as Michel Platini and Raymond Kopa.

A recent poll in sports daily L'Equipe listed its top 100 all-time French players and selected a 1-2-3 of Platini, Zidane, and Kopa.

Like Zidane, Platini wore the famous No. 10 shirt, reserved for the team's playmaker, or most creative influence. Platini and

Zidane both had great vision and could pick out a teammate with a long or a short pass.

Although Zidane scored regularly for France, notching 26 times in 93 internationals, Platini was the better goalscorer with a French record of 41 in 72 games: a remarkable strike rate from midfield including 11 trademark free kicks. For Juventus he managed more than 100 goals in 224 matches.

Platini's greatest moment came at the 1984 European Championship. He guided Les Bleus to their first major title and scored nine times in five games including two hat tricks. However, he never won the World Cup, falling at the semifinal stage in 1982 and 1986 both times to nemesis West Germany.

In contrast, Zidane's two headed goals against Brazil offered France its first World Cup title in 1998, turning Zidane into an overnight superstar.

Kopa, who helped Real Madrid win three European Cups, enjoyed his finest hour alongside scoring sensation Fontaine at the 1958 World Cup. Fontaine's 13 goals came in only six matches. He scored in the semifinal against Brazil, but, inspired by a 17-year-old called Pele, the South Americans roared back to win 5-2.

In just 21 games for France, Fontaine scored 30 times, with five hat-tricks. When he was only 27, a double-leg fracture ended his career in 1961. He places second on France's all-time scoring list alongside Jean-Pierre Papin.

Deschamps scored only four times in 103 appearances, and rarely ventured into an opponent's half. Yet, he offered the French team something entirely different but equally priceless.

In terms of leadership, guts and coolness under pressure, few players could match Deschamps. He captained France to victory at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. The team relied as much on his never-say-die spirit as on the genius of Zidane.

Source: Xinhua