Once dubbed the best goalkeeper in the world, Fabien Barthez leaves the soccer scene saddened by Germany 2006 but with plenty of great memories in a colourful career.

A World Cup winner on home turf in 1998, he received the last of his 87 caps at the World Cup final in July when France lost to Italy on penalties.

An eccentric genius to some, and just plain eccentric to his critics, the shaven-headed goalkeeper was undoubtedly one of the most flamboyant figures in international football.

Being different, though, is nothing new to a man who grew up in the southwestern heartland of French rugby, and whose stand-off half father Alain once played for his country in the 15-a-side game.

Born in June 1971, in the village of Lavelanet in the foothills of the Pyrenees, Barthez's pro career began with a stint at Toulouse from 1990-92, before being snapped up by the then all-conquering Olympique Marseille.

A man of few words and whose accent bears the distinctive twang of the southern French, Barthez soon settled in to life at the Stade Velodrome and an unforgettable debut season.

Marseille won their fifth consecutive league title at a canter and lifted the European Cup, the first French club ever to do so, after beating AC Milan 1-0 in the final.

Shortly afterwards, their dream run turned into a nightmare when Barthez's team were stripped of that domestic league title and banned by UEFA from defending their European crown after it emerged that club officials had bribed Valenciennes players to throw a late-season league game.

Monaco move

It did not prevent Barthez earning his first international cap and a move to the Cote d'Azur in 1995 to join Monaco.

Barthez spent five years there with its near-empty Louis II stadium, winning the league title in 1997 and 2000.

Though Barthez's shot-stopping ability was one of the host nation's keys to success in the 1998 World Cup, the ritual good-luck kiss on the head before kick-off from defender Laurent Blanc also became one of the tournament's abiding memories.

France went on to become European champions and although Barthez sailed through Euro 2000, his club career had been going through distinctly choppy waters.

A spat with coach Claude Puel in Monaco prompted him to leave for Manchester United.

For much of his first three years at Old Trafford, Barthez's performances veered from the scintillating to the tragically comic.

His habit of rushing out from the penalty area to confront opponents cost United a painful defeat by Deportivo Coruna in October 2001.

United boss Alex Ferguson stuck by his keeper who was still rated as the best goalkeeper in the world. But even the Scot's patience snapped and Barthez found himself replaced by Roy Carroll and ultimately on the way out to Marseille.

He was suspended for five months after spitting at a referee during a friendly match against Wydad Casablanca but France coach Raymond Domenech decided he would be the number one at the 2006 World Cup despite Gregory Coupet's excellent performances.

Barthez eventually decided to leave the club of his heart at the end of last season. He will be missed by former teammates but also by football's millions of armchair fans looking for entertainment.

(China Daily October 8, 2006)