| |
Zidane was named the best performer at France '98. Ben Radford /Allsport |
France's best player since Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane is arguably the greatest player in the world at present. A playmaker and goalscorer of sublime ability, his dribbling skills and deft touch take him to a level of which most world-class footballers can only dream. And what’s more, his almost absurd ability is undercut by a steely mental strength that spearheaded France’s charge to its first-ever World Cup victory, on home ground in 1998.
Zidane shot to the international fore in 1994, scoring two goals as a substitute on his debut for France against the Czech Republic. It was the beginning of a success story with the national team that has yet to reach its end.
Despite missing two games after a sending-off early on in 1998, Zidane was named the tournament’s best performer. Inspirational in the final, he chose that clash with Brazil to score his first ever World Cup goals. Two thumping headers stunned the four-time champion to seal the French victory and Zizou, as he is affectionately known, became the toast of the tournament.
Zidane took on the mantle of World Player of the Year in 1998, ending Brazilian forward Ronaldo’s two-year run, and has gone from strength to strength since. He is universally acclaimed as the key man in a French side that itself is absolutely overrun with talent. As the footballing world reels from his last thundering volley that snatched his club Real Madrid’s third European title in five years, France bides its time. All we can do is watch and wait, for there will certainly be more.
