The legendary Frenchman remains a towering figure in football history, having won both the Champions League and the World Cup as a player, before guiding Real Madrid to three Champions League titles as a manager. ..Continue reading
Zidane’s playing journey began in France with Cannes, followed by a move to Bordeaux where his talent began to attract global attention.
He later signed for Juventus, where he secured two Serie A championships during a successful spell in Italy.
In 2001, he moved to Real Madrid for a then world record fee of €77.5 million (approximately £46.2 million). He retired in 2006 but returned to manage the club twice, most recently stepping down in May 2021.
When asked which player he prefers to watch, Zidane named Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal – a choice that may not sit well with some Real Madrid loyalists.
He said: “Regardless of the position on the pitch, there is one player who excites me every time he touches the ball, Lamine Yamal. Last season, against Inter at San Siro in the Champions League, he did everything on his own.”
Zidane also expressed his admiration for PSG’s Portuguese midfielders Joao Neves and Vitinha, who played a key role in the club’s treble-winning campaign last season.
He praised their technical quality and said: “They never lose the ball.”
Yamal’s presence on Zidane’s list further underlines the rising status of the young talent in world football.
Earlier this year, Thierry Henry also spoke highly of Yamal during an interview with SPORTbible as part of the ‘No Lay’s, No Game’ campaign.
“Lamine Yamal. I’ll tell you why. And it’s not because of what you think I’m going to say.”
“It’s his maturity. I’ll explain. I have it clear in my mind. Spain will play France 2-1 at Euro 2024 in the semi-final.”
“Unai Simon throws the ball to him and he controls it with the outside of his foot. He looks up and can play him one-on-one.” [Theo] Hernández. At that moment you are young. You’ve scored a goal. Who would have said anything if he had taken the ball and played one-on-one?
“It was about minute 60. He touched the ball with the outside of his foot, put it down, gave it back and said to everyone: ‘Calm down.’
Henry continued: “I said, ‘You’re already doing that at your age and it’s a wrap.’ Think about it.
“That moment. In the semi-final, when you score a goal like that. You get carried away. Nobody would have said anything. He could have taken it one-on-one, but he took the ball and gave it back.”
“Honestly. I remember saying, ‘This guy is too good. He’s on another level.’ Please understand the level I am talking about.
“Stepovers, nutmeg – yes, he does that all the time. But for him to think about that in a game of that magnitude is something else.”
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