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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 an interview he declared that when he was a teenager, he admired Paris Saint-Germain's Uruguayan striker Enzo FrancescoliEnzo Francescoli Uriarte (born November 12, 1961) is a Uruguayan football player. He was named by Pele as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. He was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. Francescoli is known as "El Principe", which means.
In 20012001 is a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar), and also: The International Year of the Volunteer The United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations Events January January 1 A black monolith measuring approximately nine feet tall ap he transferred from ItalianThe Italian Republic or Italy ( Italian: Italia is a country in the south of Europe, consisting mainly of a boot-shaped peninsula together with two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Sicily and Sardinia. To the north, where it borders France, Switzer team JuventusJuventus ( Latin for Youth Torino is one of Italy's oldest football clubs, based in Turin. As of 2004, Juventus competes in the Serie A. The team typically plays in black-and-white striped shirts and black shorts (but for decades in white shorts), and is to SpanishThe Kingdom of Spain is a country located in the southwest of Europe. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. To the northeast, along the Pyrenees mountain range, it borders France and the tiny principality of Andorra. It inc 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 LeverkusenBayer Leverkusen is a soccer club in the German Bundesliga. It was founded in 1904 on the 1st of July and was part of a sports club established by Friedrich Bayer and Co. Although it was established a long time ago, its successes and fame in the German fo in the 2001-2002 Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League is an annual international inter-club football competition between Europe's most successful clubs, regarded as the most prestigious club trophy in the sport. History Originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or simply 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 CupThe 2002 Football World Cup was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. It was the 17th edition of the tournament. For the first time in history it was organised by two countries, and also for the first time it was not held in Europe or the. 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 was an Athens 2004 Torchbearer.
On August 12, 2004 Zidane retired from international football.