Zidane

ZINEDINE ZIDANE

Full Name: Zinédine Yazid Zidane
Birth Date: June 23, 1972
Height: 1.85m
Weight: 80 kg
Nationality: France
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 5

Zinedine Yazid Zidane (born 23 June 1972 in Marseille, France), popularly nicknamed Zizou, is a former French football player of Kabyle ethnicity, whose parents immigrated to France from Algeria. Zidane starred for both the French national team and four European club teams, concluding with Real Madrid, during an eighteen-year career in which he was listed as one of the greatest players in football history.In the 1998 World Cup final, Zidane attracted international attention with two headed goals against Brazil that won his country's first ever FIFA World Cup title. He contributed to his teams' victories in the Euro 2000, the UEFA Champions League, and domestic championships in Italy and Spain. Zidane was elected FIFA World Player of the Year a record-equalling three times (1998, 2000, 2003) and was named European Footballer of the Year in 1998. The world-record fee of € 66 million for his transfer to Real Madrid in 2001 remains unparalleled. In 2004, he topped the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll on Best European football player of the past 50 years, and was included in the FIFA 100, Pelé's list of the 125 greatest living footballers. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he played an inspiring role in his team's advancement to the final and was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, receiving the Golden Ball, although he was sent off in the final game. As announced on 25 April 2006, Zidane retired from football after the 2006 World Cup Final on 9 July 2006. He was one of the three players shortlisted for FIFA World Player of the Year 2006 along with Ronaldinho and Fabio Cannavaro