Zinedine Zidane

Zizou holding the FIFA World Cup

Zinédine Yazid Zidane (زين الدين يزيد زيدان), nicknamed Zizou, is a football player with Real Madrid and France. A Muslim of Algerian Berber ethnic origin, he was born June 23, 1972, in Marseille, France.

He was voted the top player in the 1998 Football World Cup, which France won, scoring two goals in the final against Brazil. He has been elected three times as FIFA World Player of the Year (1998, 2000, 2003). Zidane is often considered to be the best footballer in the world, and perhaps one of the most talented players of all time. An elegant dribbler of the ball, Zidane's passing ability and perfect balance make him the natural successor of France's Michel Platini.

In 2001 he transferred from Italian team Juventus to Spanish club side Real Madrid in a four-year deal worth US$64.45 million, making him the most expensive player in footballing history. While Zidane initially took a while to settle among the superstars of Madrid, the season culminated in him scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 win over the German side Bayer Leverkusen in the 2001-2002 Champions League Final. Madrid's number 5 has recently renewed his contract for one more year ending in 2005, expressing his love for the club and his desire to continue in the team.

Injuries prevented him from reprising his 1998 performance in the 2002 Football World Cup. France's defence of their trophy was one of the most unsuccessful in World Cup history, the team being eliminated in the First Round without scoring a single goal.

Zidane is well-liked in France, and is known to be a modest, quiet, even to the point of being shy, footballer. As a Guardian feature article says, however, Zidane has also occasional flashes of aggression on the pitch.

He is married to a French woman of Spanish descent and has three children.

In 2004, he was named to the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé as a part of FIFA's centenary celebrations. In 2004 he was also voted the best European player for the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll.

He will be an Athens 2004 Torchbearer.

On August 12, 2004 Zidane retired from international football.