Paris, June 13: France and Real Madrid star Zinedine Zidane is looking to stage a benefit match for Algeria in aid of the victims of the May 21 earthquake which killed an estimated 2,300 people.
Zidane told reporters he hoped to organise a match, likely during October, between the France 98 World Cup-winning team and Marseille, who have already agreed to the idea. The match would be played in Marseille. The quake injured some 10,000 people and left around 80,000 homeless.
"We must help these people," Zidane insisted. "To be a human being is to show solidarity. I was born in France but my roots are over there. And (Algeria) is my parents' country of origin.
"Marseille is the gateway to the Mediterranean. It is a football town - and lies right opposite Algeria."

Zidane explained he had been shocked to hear about the tragedy, following the disaster on television from Madrid.



"I was in Madrid and coming away from training. Someone phoned me and I rushed to the television and watched – and watched...



"The match would be a way of saying to the Algerians 'I am very touched by what has happened to you and my heart goes out to you,'" Zidane added.



He revealed he had already obtained the agreement of Marseille coach Alain Perrin to stage the match as well as that of French League president Claude Simonet.



"We'll have a think regarding the date but I think early autumn would be good, for example, October."


Bureau Report