No sooner had a rousing Marseillaise stirred French souls than their supporters began saluting the men standing bolt upright in front of them. Thierry Henry's name, predictably, was chanted first. But then, before any of the glorious players of France's recent past, came an unfamiliar refrain: "Ribéry! Ribéry!". Only later, in the second-half, did the cries for Zinedine Zidane ring around the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium. It felt, in some ways, like peering into the future.
We shouldn't get carried away, of course: this was Franck Ribéry's first start for Les Bleus and, after a bright opening, he faded in the second half. But when Zidane slips into anonymous retirement after the World Cup, the 23-year-old could take over as creator-in-chief in the French midfield, almost by default. Who else is there? Not Patrick Vieira, who looks half the player he was three seasons ago. And not Ludovic Giuly or Johann Micoud, neither of whom were considered good enough for this French squad.
As players, however, Ribéry and Zidane are as different as night and day. Ribéry, who returned from a spell at Galatasaray to earn glowing reviews with Marseille in Ligue 1 this season, has villainous scars down his left cheek - the result of hitting a car windscreen when he was two years old - and plays like a street urchin. He is fast, wily and unpredictable. And even when he is not scuttling down the wing he gives the impression of a man who never stays still.
Zidane, meanwhile, has faded like a dying supernova since he was last named world footballer of the year in 2003. The France captain was never quick, even over five yards, but it didn't matter: stamina, strength and the trickery of a close-up magician were more than adequate compensations. Now, sadly, only the latter ability remains.
Ribéry certainly brought a good deal more energy to the French team. He was always eager for the ball, always wanting to take someone on, always trying to make something happen. In the second half, tiredness took its toll. He is clearly not the finished article yet - but then nor was Zidane when he arrived at Euro 96 with a similar weighty reputation only to disappoint. "I think I played well, but it was very difficult," Ribéry confessed. "The pitch was really slow, which made dribbling tough, and it was very hot too."
If the baton does pass between the generations, it would complete a remarkable turnaround - for four years ago, injuries and disciplinary problems left Ribèry without a job. "I was unemployed so I worked with my father," he confirmed. "He's a road worker and, frankly, I couldn't do what he does." Even two years ago Ribéry Jnr was playing in the French third division. His progress since then has prompted a ringing endorsement from Zidane. "Franck has trickery and is very strong," said the French captain earlier this week. "He will become someone important in football."
That day hasn't arrived yet. But after France's lethargic performance yesterday, his country will be praying it happens sooner rather than later.
