ZIDANE AT PSG. As he celebrates his 50th birthday today, French legend Zinédine Zidane confides in L’Equipe as rarely.
For the youngest and the oldest, Zinédine Zidane is probably the number 1 legend of French football. Winner of the 1998 World Cup as a player with his two goals in the final, “Zizou” celebrates his 50th birthday this Thursday, June 23. Half a century of trophies, anecdotes and secrets from The Team. Without language of wood, the former number 10 of the Blues addresses all the subjects and particularly that of the Team of France by confirming that he wishes to take the head of the Blues in the near or distant future. “I want to, of course. I will be, I hope, one day. When? It’s not up to me. But I want to come full circle with the France team. I have got to know this French team as a player, and that’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me! (He puts his hand over his heart.) But really ! It’s the pinnacle. And so, as I experienced that and today I am a coach, the France team is firmly rooted in my head.
Problem or not, the France team has been managed for 10 years by Didier Deschamps who brought the Blues to the final of Euro 2016 and especially to the title of world champion in 2018. If he did not extend his contract which expires after the World Cup in Qatar, Didier Deschamps has not announced his departure and Zinédine Zidane is aware of it. “I don’t know. If it has to be done, it will be done, at that time or not. When I say that I want to take on the France team one day, I assume it. Today , a team is in place. With its objectives. But if the opportunity arises then, then I will be there. Again, it does not depend on me. My deep desire is there. The France team is the most beautiful thing that is” he deciphers with great emotion to the team.
In this very long and quite fascinating interview conducted by our colleagues from L’Equipe, “Zizou” also looks back on his end of career and his whim on Marco Materazzi. “That day, my mum is very tired. I have my sister on the phone several times during the day. I know that my mum is not well but it’s not very serious either. It concerns me nevertheless. I still remain focused. But these are things that jostle each other. The pressure, this, that. (Materazzi), he does not speak to me of my mother. He often said he didn’t insult my mother. It’s true. But he insulted my sister, who was with my mom at the time. On a field, there have already been insults. Everyone talks to each other, sometimes badly, but you do nothing. There, that day, what happened happened. He triggered something by talking about my sister Lila. The space of a second, and it’s gone… But afterwards, you have to accept. I’m not proud but it’s part of my journey.”
Historical adviser to the French for many years, Alain Migliaccio has invalidated with our colleagues from The Team at the beginning of June, the information revealed on a possible arrival of Zidane at PSG: “All these rumors circulating are unfounded, slice Alain Migliaccio, the adviser of “ZZ” for almost thirty years. “To date, I am the only person admitted to represent and advise Zinedine Zidane. Neither Zinedine Zidane nor myself have been contacted directly by the owner of PSG (…) I’m not even sure that he is really interested in the arrival of Zinedine Zidane. After all the same real negotiations, the former number 10 will not come to PSG as he explained to L’Equipe on Thursday June 23. “Never say never. Especially when you’re a coach these days. But the question is moot. It’s absolutely not relevant. When I was a player I had a choice, almost every club Coach, there aren’t fifty clubs I can go to. There are two or three possibilities. That’s the current reality. Coach, we have much less choice than player. If I go back to a club, it’s “is to win. I say it in all modesty. That’s why I can’t go anywhere. For other reasons, too, I might not be able to go everywhere.
Zidane’s career reached a new stage in 2001, when he was transferred to Real Madrid during the summer. The cost of this transfer breaks all records with an amount of approximately 506 million francs (more than 77 million euros) for a period of four years. With this new team, he won the Champions League in 2002. In the final match against Bayer Leverkusen, he scored a memorable goal for a right-hander (left foot volley). With Real, Zidane will confirm his stature as a contender for the title of best player in the world of the moment: he will win the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup in the same year. We can add to this list a title of Spanish champion and a supercup the same year (2003).
The passage of Zidane by a great Italian club will make him a very great player from 1997, but it will take more to become a legend: in the France team, Zinedine Zidane wins the 1998 World Cup, in France and against the Brazilians , during an anthology final on July 12, 1998. The two goals he scored with a header will go down in history. This is the very first time that French players have reached the supreme title of world champion. Zidane received the Ballon d’Or and the title of best European player that same year. The great control specialist has reached an exceptional level of play. In 2000, he won the European Nations Championship with the Blues, a double (World Cup + European Nations Championship) never before achieved in the history of football. “Zizou” is awarded the title of best FIFA player of the year. Its popularity in France is considerable.
Amid several UNFP (French football awards), UEFA and other accolades, Zinedine Zidane won the Ballon d’Or in 1998. He would finish second in 2000 and third in 1997. He was also voted best FIFA Footballer of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003. For many, he was one of the best players in the world. His mastery of control, his very good vision of the game and the quality of his distribution characterize this exceptional player. Pelé is full of praise for him: “He is the master, quite simply. I would put Zidane in the five best players (in history). In the last ten years, there hasn’t been one others like him, he was the best player in the world”.
Zinedine Zidane’s post-career is initially rather vague. Zidane first devoted himself to charities, chained a few gala matches and received offers for a luxury retirement in a club in the United States or Australia. He finally returned to football in June 2009, when he joined Real Madrid’s management team as an adviser to the president. In July 2011, “Zizou” became the club’s sporting director after the departure of Jorge Valdano. On June 26, 2013, he was chosen as assistant coach to Carlo Ancelotti, still with Real Madrid.
In 2015, Zidane obtained his UEFA coaching diploma and his European professional license. He must pass the DEPF (professional football coaching diploma) in 2016. On January 4, 2016, he became coach of Real Madrid in place of Rafael Benítez, in the midst of a crisis for the club, which has just chained heavy defeats. The press is skeptical at first, but Zidane’s style, between discretion, determination and a strong relationship with his stars, like Cristiano Ronaldo, will also take over the bench. With Real, Zinédine Zidane will win everything: Spanish championship (2017), Spanish Super Cup (2017), UEFA Super Cup (2016 and 2017), FIFA Club World Cup (2016 and 2017) . Above all, he will chain three victories in a row in the most prestigious competition, the Champions League, which he will win in 2016, 2017 and 2018, before announcing his departure from Real at the end of May 2018. He was recalled to the bench in March 2019, to take over from Santiago Solari, then left the club again in May 2021.