Zinedine Yazid Zidane 

Zinedine Yazid Zidane French: Zinédine Yazid Zidane; Kabyle: Zineddin Lyazid Zidan; born 23 June 1972, popularly known as Zizou, is a French professional football manager and former player who excelled as an attacking midfielder. He most recently managed the Spanish club Real Madrid and is widely recognized as one of the most successful coaches globally. Regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Zidane was a playmaker celebrated for his elegance, vision, passing, ball control, and technique. He garnered numerous individual awards during his playing career, including the FIFA World Player of the Year titles in 1998, 2000, and 2003, as well as winning the prestigious Ballon d'Or in 1998.

Zidane commenced his career at Cannes before rising to prominence as one of the premier players in the French Ligue 1 with Bordeaux. In 1996, he transferred to the Italian team Juventus, achieving success with two Serie A titles among other trophies. His next move, a world record fee at the time of €77.5 million, took him to Real Madrid in 2001, a record that remained unmatched for the subsequent eight years. During his time in Spain, Zidane secured several honors, including a La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League. Notably, in the 2002 Champions League final, he scored a left-foot volleyed winner, a goal widely regarded as one of the greatest in the competition's history.


Capped 108 times by France, Zidane achieved a historic moment by winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he notably scored a brace in the final and earned a place in the All-Star team. This triumph elevated him to the status of a national hero in France, and in recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Legion of Honour in 1998. Adding to his international success, Zidane also secured victory in UEFA Euro 2000 and was honored as the Player of the Tournament. Despite his infamous sending off in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest, Zidane received the Golden Ball as the Player of the Tournament. His retirement marked him as the fourth-most capped player in French history.

In 2004, Zidane received recognition among the football elite as he was included in the prestigious FIFA 100 list, which comprises the world's greatest living players, a compilation curated by Pelé. Additionally, he was honored as the best European footballer of the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll during the same year. Zidane holds a unique position as one of nine players to have triumphed in the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or. Serving as the ambassador, he played a pivotal role in Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup, marking a historic moment as the first Arab country to stage the tournament.

Cannes

Zidane initially went to Cannes for a six-week stint but ultimately extended his stay at the club, choosing to play at the professional level for four years. Upon leaving his family to join Cannes, he received an invitation from Cannes Director Jean-Claude Elineau to move out of the dormitory he shared with 20 other trainees and instead live with him and his family. Reflecting on this period, Zidane later mentioned that residing with the Elineaus provided him with a sense of balance and equilibrium in his life.

Bordeaux

Zidane made a transfer to Girondins de Bordeaux in the 1992–93 season, contributing to the team's victory in the 1995 Intertoto Cup after defeating Karlsruher SC. Additionally, during his four-year tenure with the club, Bordeaux finished as the runner-up against Bayern Munich in the 1995–96 UEFA Cup. Zidane formed a formidable midfield partnership with Bixente Lizarazu and Christophe Dugarry, a combination that would go on to be recognized as the trademark style of both Bordeaux and the 1998 French national team.

In 1995, Blackburn Rovers manager Kenny Dalglish expressed interest in signing both Zidane and Dugarry. However, club owner Jack Walker reportedly responded, "Why do you want to sign Zidane when we have Tim Sherwood?" This decision remains a notable moment in transfer history. Additionally, at the beginning of the 1996 season, football agent Barry Silkman revealed that Zidane was offered to Newcastle United for £1.2 million. However, the club rejected the offer after evaluating him, asserting that he was not deemed suitable for the English First Division. Zidane's exceptional performances in 1996 earned him the prestigious Ligue 1 Player of the Year award.

Juventus

Following a series of remarkable performances for both Bordeaux and the French national team, Zidane garnered attention from Europe's top clubs in the spring of 1996. Ultimately, he made the decision to join UEFA Champions League winners Juventus during the close season. Zidane's impact in Italy was immediate and profound, as he played a pivotal role in Juventus winning the 1996–97 Serie A title and the 1996 Intercontinental Cup. His exceptional contributions earned him the accolade of Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year in his inaugural season with the club.

Zidane's growing prominence in the sport led to his selection in a European XI to face a World XI in December 1997. Notably, the World XI featured a forward line consisting of Ronaldo and Gabriel Batistuta, highlighting Zidane's recognition among the elite players of that era.

Real Madrid

In 2001, Zidane made a historic move to Real Madrid for a world record fee of 150 billion Italian lire (equivalent to about €77.5 million based on the fixed exchange rate at the time, or a reported 12.8 billion pesetas), structured in instalments. Upon joining, he signed a four-year contract and became the latest addition to the Galácticos era, which involved Real Madrid acquiring global football stars each year.

In his inaugural season with the club, Zidane left an indelible mark by scoring a memorable match-winning goal in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayer Leverkusen. The goal, a volley struck with his weaker left foot from the edge of the 18-yard box, has since been hailed as one of the greatest in Champions League history. The magnitude of this strike prompted one of Zidane's most emotional goal celebrations, characterized by him running toward the touchline with his mouth wide open, screaming in sheer delight.

References

1.  "Acta del Partido celebrado el 12 de mayo de 2019, en San Sebastián-Donostia" [Minutes of the Match held on 12 May 2019, in San Sebastián-Donostia] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
2. ^ "Zinedine Zidane Profile". ESPN Soccernet. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011.
3. ^ "Zinedine Zidane". Juventus F.C. Archived from the original on 13 June 2000.
4. ^ "Zinédine Zidane". mondefootball.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 7 November 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
5. ^ Fort, Patrick; Philippe, Jean (2018). Zidane: The Biography. London: Ebury Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-78503-848-8.
6. ^ "Far-right politician booted out of Zinedine Zidane's football club". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 December 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
7. ^ Jump up to:
8. a b c d e f g h i Hussey, Andrew (4 April 2004). "ZZ top". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2022.