Zinedine Zidane

France Born : 1972 Football

Major titles

  • 1998 World Cup with France
  • Euro 2000 with France
  • Champions League 2002 with Real Madrid
  • 1998 Ballon d'Or
  • FIFA World Player of the Year 1998, 2000, 2003
  • Serie A ×2 with Juventus (1997, 1998)
  • La Liga 2003 with Real Madrid
  • Intercontinental Cup ×2 (1996, 2002)
  • Champions League ×3 as Real Madrid manager (2016, 2017, 2018)

Key Facts

  • Scored two headers in the 1998 World Cup final against Brazil (3-0), crowning France world champions on home soil
  • Won the 1998 Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year three times (1998, 2000, 2003)
  • Signed for Real Madrid for a then-world-record fee of €77.5 million in 2001
  • Scored one of the greatest volleys in football history in the 2002 Champions League final against Leverkusen
  • Received a red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy
  • Became Real Madrid manager in January 2016 and also won two La Liga titles (2017, 2020)
  • First coach to win the European Cup or Champions League three years in a row (2016, 2017, 2018)

Biography

Born on June 23, 1972, in the Castellane district of Marseille, Zinedine Zidane is the son of Algerian immigrants from the Kabylie region. Growing up playing street football in the working-class neighbourhoods of the French city, he developed a touch and technical mastery that would set him apart from his earliest years. He joined the AS Cannes academy in 1986, at fourteen, making his professional debut in 1989.

After establishing himself at the Girondins de Bordeaux, where he reached the UEFA Cup final in 1996, Zidane joined Juventus for around 3.5 million euros. In Italy, his reputation grew to global proportions: two Serie A titles, two Champions League finals, and universal recognition as the finest attacking midfielder in the world.

The pinnacle of his playing career came in the summer of 1998, when he headed in two goals in the World Cup final against Brazil on home soil, helping France to a 3-0 victory and their first world title. He won the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award that same year. Two years later, France claimed the European Championship. In 2001, Real Madrid paid a then-world-record fee of 77.5 million euros to sign him. Under the Galáctico banner, he produced one of the greatest moments in football history: a stunning left-footed volley in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park, which remains one of the sport's iconic images.

The 2006 World Cup final in Berlin encapsulated both sides of his character. Having come out of international retirement in 2005 for one last tournament, Zidane dazzled throughout the competition, leading France to the final against Italy. In extra time, provoked by Marco Materazzi, he responded with a headbutt and was sent off. France lost on penalties. That moment, both haunting and deeply human, became the defining image of his final chapter as a player.

His second career, as a coach, added another extraordinary dimension to his legacy. Appointed Real Madrid manager in January 2016, he achieved something no coach had ever managed: three consecutive Champions League titles (2016, 2017, 2018), along with two La Liga titles (2017, 2020). His composure, tactical intelligence, and man-management skills confirmed that his genius was not confined to the pitch.

Career

Discipline
Football
Club / Team
AS Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus, Real Madrid
Career
1989-2006

Detailed results

Statistics limited to competitions covered in our database.

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