Discussing Zinedine Zidane’s greatness on his 50th birthday 🎈 | ESPN FC

Frank Leboeuf and Julien Laurens join the ESPN FC crew to discuss Zinedine Zidane’s career on his 50th birthday.
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[@m.d.4231]

Zinedine Zidane is probably the best name in football history

[@ChauncyCharm]

Zarley Zalapsky for hockey then

[@mar.c1]

Rhymes, 2 Z's. Swag

[@manuchermamadvafoev3732]

@@ChauncyCharm more like wayne gretzky or gordie howe

[@ragnerlouthbrok4715]

Michael jordan for NBA.

[@tamnadvardis7039]

No doubt

[@drewchk5254]

Greatest midfielder of all time for me, was named among the top 3 in the world for almost 9 straight seasons.

[@madridista1311]

Modric is all time best.....

[@flaviovelasquez4451]

@@madridista1311 nah

[@matthewhernandez8342]

@@madridista1311 Are you serious? Zidane, Xavi and Iniesta are better

[@matthewhernandez8342]

@@madridista1311 Even Ozil in his prime was better than Modric*.

[@madtitan-bringerofgenocide]

@@matthewhernandez8342 ozil better than Zidane 😂😂 kids, these days started football from 2020.. pathetic

[@shampar10]

Zidane was probably the greatest midfielder of all time imo. Ciro Ferrara once said he was the greatest number '10' to ever play in Serie A only after the great Diego Maradona. Zidane is in the rarest of categories to win a World Cup, Euro, Champions League while being the 'Player of the tournament' in each of those and ofcourse winning the coveted Ballon D'Dor 👏🏽

[@kennywilkinson913]

Was he the player of 98'? Sent off in a critical match and missed games?

[@kennywilkinson913]

Ironically he was probably the player of 2006 as was Ronaldo 98, both losing finals

[@avikellerman4539]

@@kennywilkinson913 Exactly. He was player of the tournament in 2006, the one France lost to Italy in the finals. In 98 they won the World Cup and he scored twice in the final. But he wasn't player of the tournament. Actually before that final he was pretty underwhelming for his standards. He was way better at Euro 2000 and 2006 World Cup imo. For me he's the best midfielder I've ever seen and top 5 overall with Messi, Ronaldo, CR7, and Ronaldinho. He was in that sort of league. One of my favorite players growing up and one of the reasons I fell in love with the game. Zidane was a magician. Everything he did just oozed class and finesse.

[@funkyamii]

One of the very few videos on this channel when they spoke their heart out. Zidane for ever!

[@umerdurrani9405]

He was the best midfielder I have ever seen growing up. I respect Xavi and Iniesta alot because they are very to close to his level but to be able to completely dominate against teams like prime brazil and portugal etc in 2006 and the whole tournament was complety mind blowing.

[@Chris24_]

Wouldn’t say they were very close to his level, the only midfielder I think that was on the same tier as Zizou was Cryuff. Modric, Xavi, Iniesta are in the tier just below.

[@paulclark208]

That World Cup off 2006 was crazy, the career ending best players to finish the game in a few years after that. Also with the current best and future best. Zidanve came out off international retirement for that World Cup, him and France beat Spain, Brazil and Portugal and lost to Italy. Look at those teams with the elite players and compare that to present days. It’s no contest and this way back in 2006. For me that was the best world all off the best and future in that tournament

[@tojusote4896]

Xavi iniesta just lack goals

[@Chris24_]

@@tojusote4896 Zidane could carry a team on his back, Xavi and Iniesta TOGETHER couldn’t do that.

[@Eli-zg3tj]

Xavi and Iniesta run a lot, Zidane doesn't

[@parasstone8414]

Zidane is easy top 5 goat of football in my list. Zidane as a player was simply unbelievable. The control, passing, vision, and his calmness on the ball was Magical. A great first touch and technique, Eagle eye vision, intelligence, unrivaled balance . He shines like no others during finals, during great games, he left this “whoa” impression, and everyone, including the players around him, had the same feelings we all felt.

[@CW-rx2js]

When zidane was Real Madrid Manager, one of theh players said "zidane just comes out to train with us sometimes and even in his late 40s, he's better than all of us"

[@Ramkeev]

Zidane always looked like he was seeing things in slow motion. Such elegance and patience in decision making.

[@TagusMan]

I'm a Portugal fan. I started watching football during Euro 2000. Figo's great Portugal side lost the semi-final not to France, but to Zidane. He played the best game of his life that day, and crushed the Portuguese dream of winning the first trophy. Loosing to Zidane always felt inevitable. He was scary. I imagine that's what people feel like now, whenever their team comes up against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, knowing that he's going to score, no matter what you do. Fear and respect. Happy birthday, ZZ. Proper legend.

[@rockingship]

I don't remember Cristiano dominating a tournament like Zizou

[@mukhtarshire9473]

I clearly remember that game and you are more than right. He single handlely won that game.

[@benben-id8rm]

Talisman If you ask the Brasilian they will tell you ,Zidane played the best game of his career against them in 2006. The guy simply used to rise to the occasion, he was always there during big games.

[@TagusMan]

@@benben-id8rm True. But Zidane himself said that his best game was against Portugal 🇵🇹 in Euro 2000. Lucky us.

[@ekim4363]

Zidane was exceptional in the 1998 World Cup. It was great seeing Brazil getting dominated by France. Just fun to watch.

[@conradchandler508]

:-) Zidane was great in 2006 and not 98. Ib 98, He had an avg first round got a red card. Was not brilliant vs croatia, and scored 2 headers in the final.

[@DC-zi6se]

2000 Euros was his peak

[@ericdulyon4601]

I still miss watching him today. I say the only other footballer that had as much respect and presents on the field is Lionel Messi. Zinédine Zidane is was one of the best

[@deltaws]

The guy won everything, top 5 all time player.

[@huguesjouffrai9618]

Maybe top 5 is a bit too much (maybe top 10 or 20 or top 5 of the last 25 years) but in the top 5 football sportsmen definitely thanks to his coaching career being ok the same level as his football career

[@huguesjouffrai9618]

@@teeplenty01 football did not start 25 years ago. Here are few greater footballers than Zidane in no particular order that exclude him from the top 10 of all time: - Beckenbauer - Ronaldo (the Brazilian) - Pelé - Garrincha - Maradona - Cruyff - Cristiano Ronaldo - Alfredo Di Stefano - Messi - Platini - Zico - Romario - Eusebio - Gerd Muller Hard to argue against Zidane being a greater footballers than any of these. To include Zidane in a top 5-8 ever you'd need to exclude 7-10 of them. Saying Zidane is top 20 is not disrespectful at all, it's a huge compliment when you see the quality of that top 20

[@huguesjouffrai9618]

@@teeplenty01 Zidane is better than Cruyff? Than Beckenbauer? Than Platini? Than Eusebio? There's a large consensus that these players are better than Zidane. It's even difficult to argue that Zidane is the best french player ever (because of Platini)! I haven't seen all these guys play live but I've read about them, heard of them, read stats etc. I guess you haven't seen Pelé played yet you rank him higher than Zidane. Anyway people who have seen and followed all of these players very rarely put Zidane in the top 5 or 8, don't let recency bias fool you (especially if, like me, you have childhood memories of Zidane being outstanding in international cups without remembering all his average seasons + the aura he gained as a coach)

[@fan2hd277]

@@huguesjouffrai9618delusional ignorant

[@kcsniper1243]

There have been few midfielders in history that possessed the entire package. From his Physical Stature to Ball Skills to Supreme passing. Zidane is the goat amongst the midfield

[@amenboughanmi5819]

He is the Greatest Midfielder to Ever play the game period

[@tojusote4896]

Maradona Cruyff platini

[@alvaro4867]

@@tojusote4896 Maradona? I mean he was technically a number 10, but he played up front with a striker basically his whole life. Same with Platini. And Cruff basically played as a false nine with Rep and Resenbrink to his sides. Zidane played as a classic 10 for some time and then as an 8 for Real Madrid.

[@tojusote4896]

@@alvaro4867 maradona was a midfielder and that's it,that's just like saying Messi is a midfielder when we all know he's a right winger

[@alvaro4867]

@@tojusote4896 how, he literally played in a front two with Careca in Napoli and in a front two with Valdano in Argentina. It’s a google search away. He was literally my favorite player but he was no midfielder.

[@alvaro4867]

@@tojusote4896 and, tbh, Messi probably participates more in the build up plays than Maradona ever did. Maradona was an attacking player (the best attacking player ever in my opinion) but he was not a midfielder.

[@manuchermamadvafoev3732]

if that header at the extra time went past buffon, which it nearly did, we would've probably not seen the headbutt. one of the all-time greats, happy birthday zizou!

[@huguesjouffrai9618]

Well after missing that one he did the greatest header of all time lol

[@rmzidann]

At 4:18, I agree with Jules, Zizou‘s performance versus Brazil in the 2006 World Cup was legendary. Perhaps one of the top three greatest single individual performance in the World Cup by a player. As good as Maradona in 1986 vs England or Belgium, if not better.

[@thehollowedtree9586]

Glad to see Zidane get plaudits and respect from the crew and in the comments. He was an absolute gem and it always brought joy to watch him play. He was my favorite player growing up along with Henry, Shevchenko and Ronaldinho. The way he could dominate a game and do it with grace and finesse was truly something special. His technique, poise on the ball and creativity was out of this world. Also had a knack of performing on the biggest stage. For me he is the best player I've seen along with Messi, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. He deserves to be in the GOAT debate for sure.

[@mattgibney4085]

Zidane was a heck of a player, hands down one of the best Midfielders to ever play the game. I have him in my top 3 along Xavi & Inesta. No real order just the best I’ve ever seen

[@utkarshyadav5144]

Every video I have watched Zidane play one thing is common, the calmness on the ball this guy had was just unavailable it's almost like he had extra time to choose and play forward simply magnificent.

[@McDaddyZard]

Zidane is the greatest midfielder of all time not even a debate

[@atlanta1290]

Was Maradona not a midfielder?

[@tamnadvardis7039]

You don't chase Zidane when he recieve the ball you know what you are going get,i remember one my late brother say why Zidane has eyes back of is head because as soon they pass him the ball he already know where his opponents are, his front his back,for me best player i ever seen

[@giancarlocrumps7564]

Dude was so elegant one the ball Like watching a ballet dancer playing football

[@AgeoftheGeek_]

Zidane is goated, happy 50th Zizou. Wish I would have watched him live more when I was younger. My fav players of all time remain Bergkamp, Totti, and Zlatan.

[@carolgordon]

Zidane is the best all time

[@mdatiqurrahman9951]

Arguably the most elegant footballer who graced football 🤗😇

[@LAvision]

Happy birthday to my favorite player of all time. 🇫🇷👑

[@davidche6734]

I consider him the greatest player post Maradona pre-Messi. He’s the most elegant footballer in history. Top 5 player all time.

[@dnap1991]

along with r9

[@davidche6734]

@@dnap1991 He definitely could’ve been were it not for the injuries. Right below Zidane but no shame in being #2. More electric than Zidane yes but I just can’t forget the constant big game moments from Zidane. He elevated his teams in the biggest games.

[@beane10]

Zizou is THE GOAT! Poetry in motion.

[@shashwatrao6949]

He dominated when there were great players already. Thats why he is the best

[@samabedin786]

One of the greatest footballers ever! Period! Vive La France 🇫🇷❤️⚽️🥇🏆

[@basseysamuel108]

Amazing player. Was such a joy to watch. I can never forget that game against Brazil. Good Lord!

[@devdebashish13]

Zidane was simply great.dominated the midfield for years

[@michaelclayton9658]

My favorite player growing up, zizou did things that don’t show up on the stat sheet

[@DR-uq4hn]

Top 5 footballers of all time For a man who didn’t score many goals & had zero pace YET so influential with his silky skills & a computer of a brain Zizou had. Arguably European greatest player as it’s between him & Dutch maestro Johan Cruyff in terms of influence & to be the greatest player of their respective continent

[@hsafootballworld1321]

When it comes to greatest European player of all time. Then it’s between Johan Cruyff, Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo. 1- Zidane 2- Johan Cruyff 3- Cristiano Ronaldo

[@DR-uq4hn]

@@hsafootballworld1321 Johan🥇for REVOLUTIONISED the beautiful game till today’s present time the whole world trying to follow the “TOTAL FOOTBALL” philosophy that Cruyff himself orchestrated on the field with him changing things during the game, not to mention put the Netherlands & Ajax on the map took that with him to Catalonia & took over the World & the most influential player in terms of his pimples the likes of Guardiola & Ronald Koeman…ect no wonder he was the first player to win the ballon D’Or three consecutively while Zizou ONCE ONLY Zizou 🥈 & that is IT. No other candidates able to challenge them two giants as they are the north & south poles in a magnet 🧲.

[@kdroofing2680]

Happy birthday Zidane, you're my favourite player in history. Enjoy your day King Zidane, your impact on the game will always be there in history.

[@MrK.A]

Wonderful player. Such a great leader too

[@karamp242]

Ronaldo’s and messis might score you 50 goals every season but for me zidane Is the greatest! He was the “go to man when the chips were down”

[@sgh9114]

I remember 2006 vs brazil. A retired midfielder not only dominated and humiliated the best of the best of brazil at the highest level, but he did so with Brazilian flair. Beat them at their own game. Was amazing

[@BigBoss7777777]

Overrated performance

[@maccvcte9724]

is my all time best footballer till date.. happy birthday legend 🙌

[@MrLelepele]

I know what I saw . I was alive to see it and it was ridiculous . Best player both at club&international level I have seen in my lifetime

[@DrJRL]

I was privileged enough to be in the stadium twice when Zidane was playing in Spain.

[@irfaddafri8217]

zidane that name is enough😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@thomas-lo5pg]

Zidane is the greatest midfielder of all time.

[@OlajhideyYT]

Carried a whole country to the World cup. best individual performance by a player at the world cup. would have won that 2006 world cup if not for the Materazzi situation. One of the greatest player ever! Happy Birthday Zizou

[@rasakiki]

Never better than Maradona 86.. let’s not get carried away..

[@LeastSlutty]

Stevie played a beautiful ball into the corner and then received the header, in 1981.

[@fahdzaa]

Zizouuuuuu my Hero! What a legend! Hope one day he will come back to Madrid again. But first, the French National team soon. 💪

[@benben-id8rm]

6:21 Sorry Ale Moreno, Zidane is always cited as one of the greatest footballers of all time. Before Messi bursting onto the scene of football, Zizou was always on the list of the 5 best players in the history of the game alongside Pele, Maradona, Di Stefano and Cruyff.

[@owenynwa4eva203]

Zizou had a first touch from the gods

[@kingtshilobo1849]

Literally. He was great from 98 up until he retired in 06. Which I wish France won that WC

[@rujalprajapati9124]

Zizou is on Maradona, Cruyff, Platini level. People shouldn't compare him to Xavi & Iniesta

[@Los__Merengues]

@Donquixote Doflamingo Maradona wasn't that type of a midfielder that you think he was.. He was more of a messi type of player he liked to free roam

[@vikkin1031]

@Donquixote Doflamingo Zidane was overrated and so is Modric. Xavi and Iniesta were the best ever. They were are and always will be better than any midfielder.

[@vikkin1031]

@Donquixote Doflamingo No vardrid ex players or current players can claim to be better than ex barca and current barca players. Barca will always have better players than overrated vardrid.

[@dnap1991]

R9!!!!

[@Allenseverain]

steve chips are iconic he used to chip with goalie in the middle

[@myp0h]

Zizou i like the nickname.

[@peacewithoutbias6692]

Zidane is complete footballer

[@amitghosh9869]

Joyeux Anniversaire, Zizzou

[@mihailojovanovic8547]

Happy Birthday Zizou, the greatest player and leader of all time

[@teekay2014]

Happy birthday Zizu

[@jeremy1399]

Happy birthday to the 🐐of Madrid in my mind! One of the best midfielders ever and one of the best coaches ever. 3 straight champions league coaching the best team assembled in history

[@suzannelooms7658]

Humble man. Look at the video where Zizou talks about a goal flick by Maradona, but is unable to recreate it himself. Shameful last match, to be brought down by Materazzi. Italy couldn't find any other way to beat him, except by a below the belt insult to his sister.

[@elassassino9127]

Zizuo best of all time

[@atlanta1290]

Best? Ahead of Pele, Maradona, Messi etc.?

[@abanihira1658]

Ilove ziedine............

[@tonymontanatv_]

His comeback in the 2006 WC when he dominated that Brazil team showed how genius Zizou was 🔥🔥🔥

[@paulclark208]

Spain to

[@arimas1977]

Portugal too ;)

[@tylascraig9306]

Jules, you kinda pissed me off. You started with the early clubs (Cannes and Bordeaux) with affection. When you get to Juventus you stated it "started out slowly," which isn't true. He got there in '96 and they won Serie A in '97. Then you didn't say anything about 3 Champions League final appearances in a row and went straight to the '98 WC. You came off like the Juve years were failures. He became the best player in the world in Italy in the 90s when it was the toughest league in the world. No one trained harder than the Ol' Lady! Get it together young man!

[@cvarikos]

Best player in my life time watching since 1989 .. including Maradona, Mathaus, Ronaldinho, Xavi, Iniesta etc . He had the rare quality of 'poise' ie. he could slow or increase the tempo of the game (by himself). Even today I struggle to find someone who has the same influence on games .. big games and do it with swagger. Perhaps Coutinho is the closest in recent times.

[@yogi2983]

Iniesta

[@dnap1991]

r9 was incredible as well and zizou has gigantic respect for r9

[@hsafootballworld1321]

R9 was unstoppable when we talk about dribbling, skills, acceleration, shots and goalscoring. But his playmaking skills was not extraordinary. If you could stop him from dribbling and scoring. Then his impact on the game would be limited. He was a good playmaker but not a great or extraordinary playmaker. For example Di Stefano/Benzema are better playmakers than R9.

[@danielainger8666]

Top 5 player of all time, greatest midfielder that’s ever played.

[@pol835]

The marvellous Z

[@s4mnblack]

Zizou is the most elegant footballer I have ever seen

[@rogerstephenroth8073]

You know one thing which is not discussed in sports in general is greatest player based on the position of the game. Generally over the past years, but there hasn't been praise for the best goalie, best defender, best midfielder, best right wing and left wings, best mid field striker, best forward strikers. A lot of the attention for goat awards goes to the big super star of the team which.

[@yasarmajid134]

He turned the game into art the Federer of football the first touch was impeccable absolutely great

[@chelsea08FC]

Greatest player of all time

[@PharmacyAve]

Zidane is the real Goat

[@stampedmetalsword8099]

Everyone who saw him play in 98 world cup be proud.

[@idrisisa5750]

Hbd to don zizu

[@Matt7ai]

Did Moreno just say that Zizou wasn’t considered in the “same league” as others? Dude..really? Zizou, Pele, Maradona. That’s the league he’s in. That’s the conversation. He’s above everyone else!!

[@LOGOS422]

In a World Cup final or CL final, give me Zidane over Messi or Cristiano.

[@Hittingitstiff]

I'm 34, I have been watching football since 1995, and Zidane is the 2nd best player (behind Messi) I've ever seen. He had it all: touch, technique, vision, power... The man was the complete player and a true artist. Cristiano Ronaldo fans, many of whom aren't even old enough to have seen Zidane play, will point to the stats and say that I'm wrong. However, this is football, not baseball. You can't base all of your opinions on stats. My top 5: Messi Zidane Ronaldo (Brazilian) Cristiano Ronaldinho

[@chucklombardo8167]

My top 5 messi Maradona Ronaldo nazario cruyff Ronaldinho

[@tamnadvardis7039]

Dude Zidane is better than messi forget about most ballon dor, go back and watch both of them video clips

[@162tsb7]

Whats to discuss he is the greatest player not in terms of statistics but in terms of how he played. Never seen a better player in my 46 years he was in a league all of his own in a time where all the top European clubs had a wealth of world class players.

[@cianog]

Best ever

[@kaskovic1993]

Top 3 best midfielders of all time!

[@DIOS10]

And to think this top top top players in his own words was no where Maradona.. imagine what level he was.

[@ray_o_ray8527]

Count the number of times Jules says “of course” in a sentence. 🤣😂😂

[@neikomccalla2623]

of course

[@davidche6734]

He speaks multiple languages and as usual anglophones like yourself focus on irrelevant matters

[@krshkrshh4168]

Zidane was magician , even with headbutt the technique was magnificent

[@xxtemuxinxx]

zizou is a top five player of all time. if you can't understand this, you don't understand the sport. watch rugby. or us football.

[@fan2hd277]

In my all time 11 I will always put: 5 Beckenbauer 10 Zidane 9 Pelé Then I choose the rest of the team Simply because those are not just among the best but they all had historical performances when it mattered the most! I don't put Messi and CR7 on the same level simply because they never really carried their national teams in the same way.

[@Ronny_Ron]

I wanted to play like Zidane after he single-handedly destroyed brazil

[@kushgoswami3055]

🐐

[@shervinbehrad1848]

Zizou was one of the best players of this generation, if he had not got that red card in the "2006 final" I feel France would've won that World Cup.

[@Chris24_]

The Michael Jordan of football.

[@atlanta1290]

1 Champions League and you're calling him the Jordan of football? Do you recall that he needed to join the club he could not defeat in order to win?

[@Chris24_]

@@atlanta1290 football is a team sport you 🤡 but even then his individual brilliance stood out way more than any player in history baring a couple ever did. He lost once to RMA in the final in 1998, which was NOT the same team he joined in 2002 that Madrid absolutely needed him for. This is the same man who took France to 2 World Cup finals.

[@atlanta1290]

@@Chris24_ How long have you been watching football?

[@Chris24_]

@@atlanta1290 longer than you by some distance, pretty sure in old enough to be your father.

[@atlanta1290]

@@Chris24_ lol if you say so. I started watching watching and assessing the game since the early 80s so I speak from some experience. Yes football is a team sport but you referred to Zidane as the Jordan of football and I don’t even think it’s a close comparison.

[@fistonndayisenga3326]

Zz was best player

[@kennywilkinson913]

He was no Emille Heskey

[@gamestar70]

Zidane only needed 10 average players to dominate the world.

[@KamronRashid]

I hear Frank. Sometimes when he stops talking, I have no idea what he’s said.

[@BrawlerTM]

Top 5. Anything else is wrong.

[@gitfitz2028]

Think about this Madrid signed him for 47 million pound. Players these days aren't fit to tie his boots going for 100 million football is a joke needs bringing back to reality. Zidane was a beast 💪. Still my in top 5 players of all time and that will never change . Messi ,ronaldo, zidane,Maldini,R9 .

[@Darius-fn3hw]

Cantona didn´t want to go to Euro 96 because he didn´t want to play centre forward? Ginola? What was his reason not to go to Euro 96?

[@josephsylva8317]

The most elegant and technically gifted footballer of my lifetime!!! His ball control abilities were out of this world. He gave me the best soccer moments growing up!!! Hbd Zizou

[@rafanyu9240]

My 🐐 you know All the others are great but zizou was different

[@ericflynn7593]

Only Pele, Maradona, Cristiano and Messi are ahead imo.

[@stickywicky1114]

Zidane ist the best Player of all time. Thats thrue!

[@chucklombardo8167]

My top 5 players messi Maradona Ronaldo nazario cruyff Ronaldinho

[@harrysandro7351]

Zidane will eventually return as a coach either to a club or a national team.