Zidane still France's favorite son
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Zidane steered Madrid to the Spanish title last season.
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| ZINEDINE ZIDANE FACTBOX |
Midfielder, Real Madrid and France
Born: June 23, 1972, Marseille, France.
1988: Joins Cannes. Scores 6 goals in 61 league appearances for the club.
1992: Joins Bordeaux. Scores 28 goals in 139 league appearances for the club during four seasons, reaching the UEFA Cup final in 1996.
1994: Makes French debut versus Czech Republic, scoring twice.
1996: Moves to Juventus. Helps the club to win two Serie A titles in his first two full seasons. Also wins the European Super Cup and the World Club Cup in 1996, but suffers successive Champions League final defeats in 1997 and 1998.
1998: Scores twice as France beat Brazil 3-1 in the World Cup final in Paris, after being sent off earlier in the tournament. Wins European and World player of the year awards.
2000: Named player of the tournament as he helps to lead France to victory at Euro 2000 and wins World Player of the Year award for the second time.
2001: Becomes the world's most expensive player as he joins Real Madrid in a deal worth up to $66 million.
2002: Helps Real Madrid to win the Champions League with a majestic winner in the final against Bayer Leverkusen. Suffers an injury in the run-up to the World Cup and recovers too late to prevent France's first round exit.
2003: Wins Spanish League title with Real Madrid and leads France into Euro 2004 finals with eight wins from eight matches. Named FIFA World Player of the Year for the third time.
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PLAYER PROFILES
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• Zidane Real Madrid and France
• Henry Arsenal and France
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PARIS, France (Reuters) -- France got rid of its royalty 150 years ago but if kings were to make a comeback, Zinedine Zidane would be hot favorite to be first on the throne.
The popularity of the 31-year-old Zidane is extraordinary, bearing in mind he has not played for a French club since 1996.
No-one has a bad word to say about "Zizou" whose gentle personality, devotion to his family and dislike of the limelight only add to the luster of his displays for club and country.
The midfielder's two goals in the 1998 World Cup final against Brazil sealed France's greatest sporting achievement.
That victory in Paris was also a defining moment in modern French life and Zidane, the son of Algerian immigrants, became a symbol for many of how French society should evolve.
Favorite personality
A poll in 2000 showed Zidane was France's favorite personality, ahead of an 87-year-old Catholic priest who gave up a wealthy life to care for the poor.
Three times a winner of FIFA's World Player of the Year award and arguably the most talented player of the past decade, Zidane moved from Juventus to Real Madrid in 2001 for a world-record fee of $64.4 million.
Playing for the finest national team in French history, Zidane won the European title in 2000. He suffered an injury shortly before the 2002 World Cup finals and his absence in the early games was one of the reasons why the team failed to make it past the first round.
This year he has helped Real to win the Spanish title and France to score 13 straight victories, a national record.
Exemplary citizen
His rise from an under-privileged area of Marseille has inspired millions of French children. The fact that he has remained unchanged as a man has inspired their parents as well.
"He is the perfect illustration of what one calls a sportsman," said Edmonde Charles-Roux, a member of the prestigious Goncourt literary academy. "He has remained an exemplary citizen. He is a prince."
Zidane is uncomfortable with this sort of adulation. His hero as a child was Uruguay's Enzo Francescoli, a player Zidane admired as much for his personal qualities as his skill.
"The most important thing is to set an example to youngsters who dream of becoming professional footballers," Zidane says.
Zidane generally keeps his opinions to himself. The exception was when presidential candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen, head of the anti-immigrant National Front, sneered at the multi-ethnic France team for not being truly French.
Zidane still refuses to use Le Pen's name. "We were born in France, we are French. Pure French," Zidane says.
With 18 months left on his contract, Zidane is turning his thoughts to retirement but he is unlikely to become a manager.
"I would be quite happy living quietly with my wife and children away from this environment. I wouldn't miss it," he said.
But, without a doubt, football would miss Zinedine Zidane.
Copyright 2003
Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
