There's friendship and there's football - and, at least at the World Cup, never the twain shall meet until the final whistle has sounded. Zinedine Zidane played five years at Real Madrid alongside Raul and Iker Casillas, but there was no room for sentiment as the French veteran dumped his former colleagues out of the competition with his solo goal which plunged the dagger into Spanish hearts on Tuesday.
From friend to foe - the recurring theme of the World Cup. Having broken Spanish hearts Zidane, knowing that each succeeding game can be his last as he will retire the moment Les Bleus depart the competition, will Saturday bid to end the dreams of three more ex-clubmates, fellow Real 'galactico' Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, as well as youngster Robinho. The inter-galactic internecine World Cup 'wars' between current, retiring and one-time Real Madrid stars don't end there, however.
England skipper David Beckham will face off against Luis Figo as England seek to down Portugal in their quarter-final and there will be no holds barred between the men who were team-mates at the Bernabeu for two seasons before Figo jumped ship to Inter Milan.
The 33-year-old Figo, playing in his final international event, will be fortunate to make the date after picking up a booking - only two of his team-mates didn't - in the ugly win over Holland.
FIFA's disciplinary committee has elected not to take any further action against him for headbutting Dutch player Mark van Bommel, the player he also shoved to get his yellow card.
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari defended his skipper by remarking that while Jesus Christ would have turned the other cheek, "Figo is not Jesus Christ. I thought he was much more correct than the Dutch player." The Real Madrid friends re-united tour will not stop with Brazil playing France or England playing Portugal.
If Brazil win and send Zidane into retirement, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Robinho will get to greet once more either Beckham or Figo, and if the French should prevail then it will fall to Beckham - or Figo - to try to bring the curtain down on his career.
The old pals act doesn't end there. Whichever of Zidane, Figo, Beckham, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos make it to the final on July 9 they will potentially shake hands with Figo's current Inter Milan clubmate Esteban Cambiasso, hell bent on making the trophy match with Argentina and yet another who used to wear the white of Real.
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