Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane, born 23 June 1972), nicknamed "Zizou", is a French retired footballer and current manager of Real Madrid. He played as an attacking midfielder for the France national team, Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid. Renowned for his elegance, vision, ball control and technique, Zidane was named the best European footballer of the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionSoccer Player
Date of Birth23 June 1972
CityMarseille, France
CountryFrance
It's the first time it's happened to me and maybe the last. It's a strange sensation, not normal for me. I can't remember scoring three goals, even when I was a kid.
I was lucky to come from a difficult area. It teaches you not just about football but also life. There were lots of kids from different races and poor families. People had to struggle to get through the day.
To be recognised by a whole country is incredible. This is massive.
Obviously fashion is a completely different world from football.
I have a need to play intensely every day, to fight every match hard.
The only important thing I have to say is that my father never fought against his country.
It doesn't matter how many times you win an award, it is always very special.
A Mediterranean city is really my culture.
Sometimes words are harder than blows.
My passion for the game comes from the city of Marseille itself. Unfortunately I can't go back there as much I want to because I play a lot here and abroad.
It will be a physical encounter but we must not respond in kind.
It was my father who taught us that an immigrant must work twice as hard as anybody else, that he must never give up.
I am proud of where I come from and never forget the people I grew up with. Wherever I go, La Castellane is where I want to go back to.
There are evil people, and I don't even want to hear those guys speak.