Fact & Figure : Zinedine Zidane (1972 - )

Zinedine Zidane is born in Marseille, France on the 23rd of June in 1972. His parents of Algerian descent have a total of five children. As a kid, school is not his strongest asset so he turns to football. Zidane got his start in football (known as soccer in North America) at an early age, when he joined the US Saint-Henri club.

He moved on to Septemes Sports Olympiques after the coach convinced the director of the club to sign him. After leaving Septemes at the age of 14, Zidane participated in the first year junior selection for the league championship, the same year he was discovered.

By the age of 16, a scout by the name of Jean Varraud recruits the youngster to Cannes. He was called in for 3 days at the sport regional centre in Aix-en-Provence at the beginning. He ventured off to Cannes for what was intended to be a six-week stay, but remained even longer. Playing with professionals at the age of 16, it would only be a matter of time when he too would turn pro, and he knew he was on his way to realizing his dreams.

Showing the determination of an athlete who wants to exceed expectations, Zidane had played his first game in First Division at the age of 17, and it was from then that football went from an ambition to a passion. The Cannes midfielder scored his first goal on February 8th, 1991 (he received a Clio as a promise from the Cannes President, who promised him a car when he scored his first goal as a professional), and his first season with the club was marked by a qualification for the UEFA Cup.

Zidane's second season with Cannes wasn't as promising, but on the non-professional front he met his future wife Veronique, a Spanish dancer. After a lukewarm 91-92 season, Zidane felt it was time for a change and switched to Bordeaux after he was asked to sign a four-year contract. Marseille also wanted Zidane, but Bordeaux proved to want him more.

He is signed by Bordeaux in 1992. His beginning with Bordeaux was hard on 24-year-old Zidane, as it forced him to adapt, but once he did, he did so with flying colours. Not only did Bordeaux qualify every year that Zidane played with the team, but Bordeaux also qualified for the UEFA Cup through Intertoto and went to the final in 95-96, Zidane's last year with the team.

At the same time, Juventus sought out Zidane, and after his four crucial seasons with Bordeaux, he moved to Torino. Again, Zidane was forced to adapt to the Italian way of playing as well as to the lifestyle, but after his first year, he was a bona fide star.

After his move to Italy, trophies start to to pour in. By 1996, Ziziou had the UEFA Cup, the European Supercup and the Intercontinental Cup under his belt. He also won the Italian Calcio twice in a row during 1997 and 1998. In the same two seasons, his club manages to reach the Champions League final twice.

When Real Madrid purchases Zinedine Zidane in the summer of 2001, he becomes the most expensive player of all time. The Spanish club paid a whopping $66 Million for his transfer. In the 2001/02 season, the Frenchman leads Real Madrid to Champions League glory by scoring a spectacular winning goal in the final.

In international competition, Zidane enters the spotlight after carrying his national team to their first World Cup title in 1998. He eventually helps them win their second European title in EURO 2000.

At World Cup 2002, France is eliminated in the first stage. Zizou struggles with an injury at the time and watches most games from the sideline. Two years later at EURO 2004, Zidane's country fails to impress again and is knocked out by tournament surprise Greece. Zidane retires from international football, but returns again in the wake of World Cup 2006.

Individually, Zinedine Zidane has been given every major award that a player can achieve. He has won the precious Balon D'Or in 1998 and the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 1998, 2000 and 2003.

Currently, Zinedine Zidane is one of the most skillful and technically gifted players in the game. He can settle and distribute almost any pass thrown in his direction. In individual encounters, Zidane prefers to shield the ball and dribble away from pressure. His style is not flashy, but rather simple and elegant. Zidane can apply his playmaking skills in any circumstance and make it look effortless.

Quick Facts

Name	Zinedine Zidane
Starting Number	#5
Born	23 June 1972 in Marseilles, France
Nationality	French
Height	185 cm / 6'2" feet
Weight	80 kg / 176 pounds
Family Status	Married to a Spanish dancer named Veronique with two kids: Enzo (named after Enzo Francescoli) and Luca
Foot	Both
Teams	Cannes (France) Bordeaux (France) Juventus (Italy) Real Madrid (Spain)
Nicknames	Zizou
Skills	All-round player, control, dribbling, passing, creativity