Zinedine Zidane
The playmaker who scored twice in the 1998 World Cup final and won the Golden Ball at the 2006 tournament.
Zinedine Zidane, born 23 June 1972 in Marseille, is a French professional football manager and former player who played as an attacking midfielder. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Zidane was a playmaker renowned for his elegance, vision, passing, and ball control. He received many individual accolades as a player, including being named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003, and winning the 1998 Ballon d'Or. Capped 108 times by France, Zidane won the 1998 FIFA World Cup, scoring a brace in the final, and was named in the All-Star team.
- Position
- Attacking Midfielder
- National Team
- France
- Major International Trophy
- FIFA World Cup (1998)
- Individual Award
- FIFA World Player of the Year (1998, 2000, 2003)
- Ballon d'Or
- Winner (1998)
- Club Honour
- UEFA Champions League (2002)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Zidane's international career peaked at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he scored a brace in the final against Brazil, making him a national hero in France. He received the Legion of Honour in 1998 for that triumph. He also won UEFA Euro 2000 and was named Player of the Tournament. At the 2006 World Cup, he received the Golden Ball as Player of the Tournament, despite his infamous sending off in the final against Italy for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest. He retired as the fourth-most capped player in French history. Zidane is one of eleven players to have won the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or.
In Their Own Story
In the 1998 World Cup final at the Stade de France, Zidane scored a brace, heading in two goals to lead France to a victory over Brazil. This triumph made him a national hero. Eight years later, at the 2006 World Cup final against Italy, Zidane was sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest, a moment that defined the end of his international career despite him being awarded the Golden Ball as Player of the Tournament.
Reader's Guide
Zidane's major international trophy is the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where he scored a brace in the final. He also won UEFA Euro 2000 and was named Player of the Tournament. He received the Golden Ball as Player of the Tournament at the 2006 World Cup. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003, and won the 1998 Ballon d'Or. At club level, he won the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid in 2002, scoring a left-foot volleyed winner in the final that is considered one of the greatest goals in football history.
Did You Know?
- Zidane scored a brace in the 1998 World Cup final, making him a national hero in France.
- He received the Golden Ball as Player of the Tournament at the 2006 World Cup despite being sent off in the final.
- Zidane is one of eleven players to have won the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or.
- He was named FIFA World Player of the Year three times: 1998, 2000, and 2003.
- Zidane scored a left-foot volleyed winner in the 2002 Champions League final, considered one of the greatest goals in football history.
More in honours
Elsewhere in the FIFA World Cup universe
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