Zinedine Zidane

Zidane was a leading figure of the generation of French players, who won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championships. After a brief international retirement, he returned to national team captain in 2005 and France 2006 World Cup finals where he won the Golden Ball as the tournament's most outstanding player.

At club level Zidane won the La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid, two league championships with Juventus Serie A, Intercontinental Cup and European Super Cups each with Both parties.


Personal Information
Full name : Zinedine Yazid Zidane
Date of birth : 23 June 1972 (age 39)
Place of birth : Marseille, France
Height : 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position : Midfielder

Youth Career
1982-1983 U.S. Saint-Henri
1983-1986 SO Septèmes-les-Vallons
Cannes 1986-1988

Senior Career
Years Team Apps  (GLS)
Cannes 1988-1992 61 (6)
Bordeaux 1992-1996 139 (28)
Juventus 1996-2001 151 (24)
2001-2006 Real Madrid 155 (37)
Total 506 (95)

National Team
1992-2006 France 10

Early Life

Zidane is of Kabyle Berber descent. The family, the which Had settled in the city's tough northern districts of Barbès and Saint-Denis, found little work in the region. Smail Zidane's father worked as a warehouseman at a department store, Often on the night shift, while his mother was a Housewife.

It was at La Castellane That Zidane Had his earliest introduction to football, joining in at the age of five, in football games That the neighborhood's children played on the Place Tartane, an 80-by-12-yard plaza That served as the main square of the housing complex. In July 2011, Zidane was named Blaž Slišković, Enzo Francescoli and Jean-Pierre Papin as his idols while growing up.

Early Life

At age ten, Zidane got the license first player after joining a local club's junior team from La Castellane with the U.S. Saint-Henri's name. After spending one and a half years in the U.S. Saint-Henri, Zidane joined SO Valons September September Pls coaches Director Robert Centenero convince the club to get Zidane.

Bordeaux

In 1995, Blackburn Rovers manager Ray Harford has expressed interest in signing Both Zidane and Dugarry, the which team owner Jack Walker reportedly replied, "Why do you want to sign Zidane When We have Tim Sherwood?

Juventus

The next season, Zidane scored 7 goals in 32 league matches to help Juventus won the Serie A 1997-98 and thus retain the Scudetto. In Europe, Juventus made his third consecutive League Champions League final, but lost the match 1-0 to Real Madrid, Zidane will from then join the club. Juventus finished second in Serie A 2000-01, but were the resource persons eliminated in the Champions League group stage after Zidane banned for head-butting Jochen Kientz of Hamburg SV player.

Real Madrid FC

Playing for Real Madrid in 2005.
In 2001, Zidane joined Real Madrid for a then world record fee of 150 billion Italian lire (about € 75 million) and signed a four-year contract. The next season, Zidane helped Real Madrid to win La Liga 2002-03 and was named the FIFA World Player of the Year for the third time. World Cup, plays last home game and scored in a 3-3 draw with Villarreal CF.

Post-Retirement 

Since retirement, Zidane was playing regularly for Real Madrid veteran team.  On June 1, 2009, Zidane was Announced as an Advisor to the President Florentino Perez after being appointed president of Real Madrid for the second time. Qatar World Cup 2022 bid committee in September 2010 Announced That Zidane has been appointed as an ambassador for Qatar's Efforts to host the 2022 World Cup. After FIFA Announced on December 2, 2010 That Qatar has won the bid to host World Cup 2022 Cup, Zidane Stated That he was "very pleased" with the result.

In November 2010, Zidane was appointed as special adviser to the first team Real Madrid in response to appeals made by Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho for the former Real midfielder to work more closely with the team. In his new role, Zidane is expected to Participate in the Champions League events and functions.

Charity Activities

On 24 February 2007, before a crowd of 10.000 fans at a match in northern Thailand for the Keuydaroon children's AIDS charity, Zidane scored the first goal and set up the second for a Malaysian teammate as the match ended 2-2. Zidane, a UN goodwill ambassador since 2001, before the game Stated That "everyone can do something to the make the world a better place"

In June and July 2009, Zidane toured across Canada with stops in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Although billed as Zidane and "Friends", the likes of the which included Fabien Barthez and Samuel Eto'o, the exhibition matches featured local players.  On 6 June 2010, Zidane took part in the bi-annual charity event Soccer Aid. He played for the Rest Of The World Team, managed by Liverpool and Celtic hero Kenny Dalglish against England alongside former Real Madrid teammate Luis Figo, and Celtic legend Henrik Larsson.

Tributes and Legacy

In November 2006, Zidane toured Bangladesh as the guest of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.  The film makers Philippe Parreno and Douglas Gordon filmed a documentary Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, the which follows Zidane During the entire match, filmed with 17 cameras. Many experts have testified to Zidane's skills and impact as an all-time great, Such as Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira Zidane who has labeled "a monster" for his performance and playing skills. French footballer Zidane, Michel Platini states is one of the most skillful players the game has ever known: "technically, I think he is the king of what's fundamental in the game - control and passing. I

German coach Franz Beckenbauer Stated: "Zidane is one of the greatest players in history, a truly magnificent player." Pelé, a three-times World Cup winner with Brazil, hailed Zidane after seeing Brazil losing to France: "Zidane was the magician in the game." Italy's manager Marcello Lippi, the who has also coached Zidane, opined "I think Zidane is the greatest talent we've known in football these last 20 years, yet he never played the prima donna. In 2011 Uefa.com asked players, journalist and Their users to crown the best player in the UEFA Champions League for the past 20 years, Zidane topped the poll ahead of Lionel Messi.

Sponsorships

Had Zidane has endorsements with many companies, including: Adidas, Lego, France Telecom, Orange, Audi, Volvic and Christian Dior.

Personal Life

Zidane met his wife, Véronique Fernandez, while playing for Cannes in the 1988-89 season. They have four sons: Enzo Zidane Fernández (b. 24 March 1995), Luca Zinedine Zidane Fernandez (b. 13 May 1998), Theo (b. 18 May 2002), and Elyaz Zidane Fernandez (b. 26 December 2006). Enzo, Luca and Theo are all members of the Real Madrid Academy.

Honors

Club

 Girondins Bordeaux
 UEFA Intertoto Cup
 Winner : 1995
 UEFA Cup
 Runner-up : 1995–96

Juventus
 Serie A
 Winner : 1996–97, 1997–98
 Runner-up : 1999–00, 2000–01
 Supercoppa Italiana
 Winner : 1997
 Runner-up : 1998
 UEFA Champions League
 Runner-up : 1996–97, 1997–98
 UEFA Super Cup
 Winner : 1996
 Intercontinental Cup
 Winner : 1996
 UEFA Intertoto Cup
 Winner : 1999

Real Madrid
 La Liga
 Winner  : 2002–03
 Runner-up : 2004–05, 2005–06
 Supercopa de España
 Winner: 2001, 2003
 Copa del Rey
 Runner-up: 2001–02, 2003–04
 UEFA Champions League
 Winner: 2001–02
 UEFA Super Cup
 Winner: 2002
 Intercontinental Cup
 Winner: 2002 

France
 FIFA World Cup
 Winner : 1998
 Runner-up : 2006
 UEFA European Football Championship
 Winner : 2000
 Third Place : 1996
 King Hassan II International Cup Tournament
 Winner : 1998, 2000
 Tournoi de France
 Third Place :1997

Individual
 Ballon d'Or awarded to Zidane in 1998
 Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year – 1994
 Ligue 1 Player of the Year – 1996
 Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year – 1997, 2001
 UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year – 1998
 FIFA World Cup Final Man of the Match – 1998
 World Soccer Awards Player of the Year – 1998
 Ballon D'or – 1998
 L'Équipe Champion of Champions – 1998
 French Player of the Year – 1998, 2002
 Onze d'Or – 1998, 2000, 2001
 FIFA World Player of the Year – 1998, 2000, 2003
 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team – 1998, 2006
 ESM Season XI: 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04
 World Soccer 100 Greatest Players of the 20th Century – 1999
 UEFA Euro Player of the Tournament – 2000
 UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament – 2000, 2004
 Serie A Footballer of the Year – 2001
 UEFA Team of the Year – 2001, 2002, 2003
 UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match – 2002
 La Liga Best Foreign Player – 2002
 UEFA Club Footballer of the Year – 2002
 FIFA World Cup Dream Team – 2002
 FIFA 100 Greatest Living Footballers – 2004
 UEFA Best European Player of the Past 50 Years – 2004
 FIFPro World XI All-Star Team – 2005, 2006
 IFFHS World's Best Playmaker – 2006
 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball – 2006
 UNFP Honorary Award – 2007
 Marca Leyenda Award – 2008
 Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award – 2011
 UEFA Champions League best player of the last 20 years – 2011