Zinedine Zidane, or “Zizou” as he is affectionately known by fans, is widely considered to be the greatest French player of all time.
He is a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, and was named Uefa club midfielder of the year in 1998.
Zidane was an elegant and graceful player on the field, with superb ball control and vision
His early years and how he became a professional player
Zinedine Zidane was born on June 23, 1972, in the French city of Marseille.
His parents, Smaïl and Malika, emigrated from Algeria in the 1950s.
Zidane grew up in a poverty-ridden neighborhood on the outskirts of Marseille.
Despite his family’s modest means, Zidane developed a passion for soccer early on.
He played street soccer with his friends and idolized French soccer star Michel Platini.
Zidane was picked up by AS Cannes, a top division club. He quickly rose through the ranks and made his professional debut with Cannes at age 17.
In 1996, Zidane signed with Juventus.
His successes with the French national team
Zinedine Zidane is widely considered to be the greatest French player of all time.
He enjoyed a successful career with the French national team, winning the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship.
Zidane was named FIFA World Player of the Year on three occasions and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
He made his debut for the French national team in 1994 and went on to win 98 matches, scoring 31 goals.
Zidane was a key member of the French team that won the 1998 World Cup , scoring two goals in the final against Brazil.
He also played a pivotal role in France’s victory at Euro 2000, scoring the winning goal in the final against Italy.
FIFA World Cup 2006
At the age of 34, many people wrote Zidane off, saying that he was too old to compete at the highest level.
But Zidane proved them all wrong, putting in a string of outstanding performances that helped France reach the final.
In the final itself, Zidane was once again at his best, scoring a brilliant goal to give France the lead.
However, he was then sent off for headbutting Italy’s Marco Materazzi and had to watch from the sidelines as France lost on penalties.
Even though he ended his career on a sour note, there is no doubt that Zidane will go down as one of the all-time greats.
His successes with club teams
Zinedine Zidane is one of the most successful French footballers of all time.
He has won numerous trophies with club teams, including the UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and La Liga.
He is also a one time winner of the Ballon d’Or.
Zidane began his career with French club Cannes in 1989. He moved to Girondins de Bordeaux in 1992, where he won the Ligue 1 title in 1995.
He then transferred to Juventus for a then world record fee of €73 million.
With Juventus, he won the Serie A title in 1996 and 1998.
In 2001, he moved to Spanish giants Real Madrid for a world record fee of €76 million.
At Real Madrid, Zidane won the UEFA Champions League in 2002 and 2006; he was named man of the match in both finals.
Why he is considered the greatest French player of all time
Zinedine Zidane is considered the greatest French player of all time for many reasons.
First, he was an incredibly talented player with a unique style of play.
He was also a great leader and motivator, able to inspire his teammates to perform at their best.
Finally, he had a tremendous amount of success both at the club and international level, winning numerous trophies and individual awards.
In terms of talent, Zidane was a once-in-a-generation type of player.
He possessed superb technical ability, dribbling skills, and vision.
He was also an excellent passer and finisher.
His creativity on the pitch was unmatched, as he often created goals out of nothing with his genius improvisation.
In addition to his exceptional individual skills, Zidane was also an outstanding team player.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Zinedine Zidane is the greatest French player of all time because of his individual skills, his leadership, and his legacy.
He has inspired a new generation of French players and has left a lasting mark on the game of soccer.