If I ask you what was the most important football game in the last year, I think all of you will answer: The* 98 World Cup Soccer Game. I am a football fan, so I have watched all those matches. I won't forget each of the days in the World Cup, espe-cially July, 13th.

On that day, the World Cup Final was held in Saint-Denis Stadium¹. This match was between two strong teams: France and Brazil. I thought France would win because it was very strong. There were many good players in French Team, like Lizarazu, Blanc, Desailly, Thuram, Petit, and Deschamps. One of the best midfielder in the world called Zidane is in France, too. And I pre-fer European teams.

The match began. I was glad to see that France had a lot of chances to score. But French Team didn't get any goals until the twenty-sixth minute. France got a corner kick on the right then. Petit kicked it. Just then, Number Ten of France called Zidane headed the ball into the goal' The Saint-Denis Stadium was full of the French fans' cheers². How happy they were and how happy I was!

The 1st half was nearly over. At that time France got another corner kick on the left. Djorkaef kicked the ball, and the ball went to the front of the goal. Oh, good header! My friends and I saw that Zidane headed the ball into the net again! "France will be the champion! "We cheered.

In the 2nd half, France still played very well, and they had many good chances to get goals. But the French forwards didn't play well in that match. Some chances were wasted by them. Then, a French defender³ called Desailly got a red card and he was sent out. But France defended as well as before. Suddenly, some-one shouted. " Look! Denilson!" We saw Number nineteen of Brazil called Denilson. He is the most expensive player in the world. He took the ball into the penalty⁴ area of France and shot⁵!

"Oh! Thank goodness⁶! The ball just hit the doorpost! "All of us said.

The match was nearly over. Just then, three players of France called Dugarry, Viera and Petit made a fast counterattack, and Petit scored the last goal in this time of World Cup! President of France was so glad that he stood up, putting up his hands and cheering. My friends and I sang "Ole, Ole, We are the Champ "to-gether, and we cheered for Zidane, for the French Team.

When Deschamps, the captain of France held up the golden⁷ World Cup, the fans of France in Saint-Denis Stadium broke into deafening⁸ cheers. That was French honour.

The nicest thing for a football fan is to see the team which he supports gets the World Cup. I am a football fan and France is my favourite. I enjoyed that wonderful match because French Team won. I was so glad on that day—July the thirteenth, nineteen-ninty-eight that I'll never forget it.

指导教师：邓渝滨