Zinedine Yazid Zidane´s Profile

Zinedine Yazid Zidane, born 23 June 1972, populary nicknamed zizou, is a french former football midfielder who played for four European clubs, including Juventus FC ad Real Madrid, and was a member and later capitain of the French National Tean for which he participated in two World Cup finals , winnig one in 1994. and thre European championship tourmaments, winning in 2000.



Having gained fame in Europe as a playmaker for Juventus, Zidane attracted worldwide attention in the 1998 World Cup final with two headed goals against Brazil which won his country´s first FIFA World Cup. He also cotributed to France´s victory in the Euro Cup 2000, and at the club level went on to win domestic championships in Italy and Spain with Juvntus and Real Madrid respectively, and the 2001-2002 UEFA Champions League with th latter, scoring the winning goal in that tournament´s final. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he played an inspirig role in his team´s advancement to the final and was named "The most outstanding Player" of the tourmament, receiving the Golden Ball. however, Zidane´s career ended in disgrace as he was ejecuted in extra-time of the 2006 World Cup final for headbutting to the italian defender Marco Materazzi. The red card he received in the 2006 world Cup Final brought him equal two negative disciplinary records for most cautions for a player in World Cup games (6) and most sending-offs (2).

Zidane was elected FIFA World Player of the Year a record-equalling three times 1998-2000-2003, finished in top three an additional three times 1997-2002-2006, and was named europen Footballer of the year in 1998. The world-record fee of €66 million for his transfer from Juventus FC to Real Madrid in 2001 remains unequalled as of 2007. in 2004, he topped the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll as the "Best European footballer of the past 50 years", and was included in the FIFA 10, Pele´s list of the 125 greatest living footballers.

as originally announced on 25 April 2006, Zidane retired from professional football after the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It´s unknown whether he plans to continue his football career as a coach.