Born on June 23, 1972, Zinedine Zidane is among the best football players of the last two decades, winning every major individual and club trophy, and leading the French national team to victory at the 1998 World Cup.

At the age of 17 Zizou made his debut in the French First League at AS Cannes, for which he played four seasons before moving to Bordeaux where his performance attracted the attention of the Italian giants Juventus. The italian side signed Zidane 1996 and in the next years the attacking midfielder helped his team win two consecutive Serie A titles, and two major European trophies (the European Supercup and the Intercontinental Cup). During the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons Juventus also reached the UEFA Champions League final two times, but lost both games. In 1998 Zidane was given the European Footballer of the Year award for his impressive skills and contribution to the team’s succes.

In 2001 Zizou became the most expensive player off all time when he was purchased by Real Madrid from Juventus for about €75 million. With the Spanish club he won the only major European Cup that his trophy room did not include, the UEFA Champions League, after a final in which Zidane scored an outstanding goal in Real Madrid’s 2–1 win over Bayer Leverkusen. With Real he also won the Primera Division title and two national cups.

Zidane retired from professional football after the 2006 World Cup, where the French team had a runner-up finish, losing the final game against Italy, despite Zidane’s early goal from a penalty kick. Zinedine Zidane will always be considered a master off the ball, a football player who impressed by his variation of techniques and accurate shots. Perhaps the only thing that lacked his repertory was an appropriate speed, but Zidane will be remembered as a complete and perfect player.

Images via.