Zidane, Zinedine Yazid (1972– )

French footballer. He masterminded France's World Cup triumph in 1998, scoring two goals in France's 3–0 victory over Brazil in the final. These performances helped earn him both the 1998 FIFA World Player of the Year and European Footballer of the Year awards. His part in France's 2000 European Championship victory earned him FIFA World Player of the Year for a second time, and he again won the award in 2003. He is known for being an attacking midfielder of great skill, vision, and poise, a goal creator as well as a goal scorer. He announced prior to the 2006 World Cup that he would be retiring from international football at the end of the tournament. His international career ended on a low note after being sent off in the closing minutes of the final for headbutting Marco Materazzi of Italy in the chest.

Career highlights

International appearances (1994–2006) 108 (31 goals)

World Cup 1998

European Championships 2000

European Cup 2002

Italian League Championship 1997, 1998

Spanish League Championship 2003

Intercontinental Cup 1996, 2002

Spanish Super Cup 2001, 2003

Awards FIFA World Player of the Year 1998, 2000, 2003

European Footballer of the Year 1998

Born in Marseille to Algerian parents, he made his French league debut for Cannes in 1989. He spent four years at Bordeaux before moving to Juventus in 1996, as the newly crowned French Player of the Year. An instant success in Italian football, he won league championship winner's medals and European Cup runner's-up medals with Juventus in each of his first two seasons. In July 2001 he moved from Juventus to Real Madrid for a then world record fee of £46 million. In 2002, he helped them win the European Cup and the following year they won the Spanish League title.