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A Brief Overview of Zinedine Zidane’s Career
Zinedine Yazid Zidane (born 23 June 1972) is a French former professional footballer and former manager of Real Madrid.
21:19 20 September 2022
He played as an attacking midfielder for the French national team, Juventus and Real Madrid.
He is widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time, winning the 1998 Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. He was named the best European footballer of the past 50 years by The Times in 2008
Zidane began his career in France with Cannes, where he made his debut at 17. He moved to Bordeaux in 1992 and won the French league title in his first season. In 1996, he signed for Juventus in a world-record transfer deal. After eight seasons in Italy, he transferred to Real Madrid for €75 million.
Zizou at Real Madrid
With Real Madrid, Zidane won back-to-back La Liga titles in 2006–07 and 2007–08, as well as the UEFA Champions League in 2002–03, 2006–07 and 2007–08. He also played at two FIFA World Cup tournaments: 1998 on home soil and 2006 on German soil, reaching the final in both editions; he was named Player of the Tournament in 1998.
The Materazzi headbutt
Zidane's career came to an abrupt end on 24 May 2006 when he was sent off in the 110th minute of the World Cup Final for headbutting Italy's Marco Materazzi in the chest after being verbally provoked. Materazzi admitted that he had insulted Zidane's mother and sister shortly before the headbutt occurred.
After retiring as a player, he moved into coaching. Zinedine Zidane’s entire managerial career has been at Real Madrid, where became assistant coach at Real Madrid under Ancelotti. He had previously managed the Real Madrid Castilla side, before being promoted to head coach in January 2016, replacing Rafa Benitez who had a short spell at the club.
In his first season as manager, Zidane led Real Madrid to their eleventh European Cup/Champions League title – their first since 2002 – and their first La Liga championship in five years.
At Madrid, Zidane had a successful career partly due to the amazing players he had at his disposal, but won quite the trophy haul:
- La Liga: 2016–17, 2019–20
- Supercopa de España: 2017, 2019–20
- UEFA Champions League: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
- UEFA Super Cup: 2016, 2017
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
Quick Fire Facts about Zizou
- Zinedine Yazid Zidane was born on 23 June 1972 in Marseille, France.
- He is a French former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
- Zidane began his career in France with Cannes, where he made his debut at 17.
- He moved to Bordeaux in 1992 and won the French league title in his first season.
- In 1996, he signed for Juventus in a world-record transfer deal.
- After eight seasons in Italy, he transferred to Real Madrid for €75 million.
- With Real Madrid, Zidane won back-to-back La Liga titles in 2006–07 and 2007–08, as well as the UEFA Champions League in 2002–03, 2006–07 and 2007–08.