Zinedine Zidane Names The Three Players He Enjoys Watching Most
The Real Madrid legend had a surprise pick for his favourite footballer
Zinedine Zidane has named the three players he enjoys watching most - and one of his picks might upset some supporters.
The French legend remains one of the most iconic figures in football, having won both the Champions League and World Cup as a player, before lifting three Champions Leagues as a manager with Real Madrid.
Zidane began his playing career in France with Cannes, before joining Bordeaux, where he caught the attention of the world's elite.
He joined the Italian giants Juventus, where he won two Serie A titles during a successful spell.
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In 2001, he joined Real Madrid for a world record-fee of €77.5 million, which was approximately £46.2 million at the time. He retired from playing in 2006, but returned to manage the club on two separate occasions, leaving most recently in May 2021.
When asked to name the player he most enjoys watching, Zidane named Barcelona's teenage star Lamine Yamal - that may upset some Madrid supporters.
He said: "Regardless of position on the pitch, one player who makes me thrill every time he touches the ball is Lamine Yamal. Last season, against Inter at San Siro in the Champions League, he did everything on his own,"
Zidane also had high praise for PSG's Portuguese midfield duo Joao Neves and Vitinha, who played vital roles in the club's treble success last year.
Zidane was highly complimentary of their ability on the ball, saying: "They never lose the ball."
Yamal's inclusion on Zidane's list is yet another sign of the growing status that the youngster has within the game.
Earlier this year, Thierry Henry was also full of praise for Yamal, in an interview with SPORTbible as part of the 'No Lay’s, No Game' campaign.
"Lamine Yamal. I'll tell you why. And it's not because of what you think I'm going to say.
"It's his maturity. I'll explain. I have it clear in my head. Spain go 2-1 up against France at Euro 2024 in the semi-final.
"Unai Simon throws the ball to him and he controls it with the outside of his foot. He looks up and can go one-vs-one against [Theo] Hernandez. At that moment, you're young. You've scored a goal. Who would have said anything if he took the ball and played the one-vs-one?
"It was minute 60-something. He touched the ball with the outside-of-his-foot, put it down, passed it back and said to everyone, 'Calm down'.
Henry continued: "I said, 'You're doing that at your age already and it's a wrap'. Think about it.
"That moment. In the semi-final, when you've scored a goal like that. You get carried away. Nobody would have said anything. He could have taken it one-on-one but he took the ball and passed it back.
"Honestly. I remember saying, 'This guy is too good. He is on a different level.' Please understand the level I'm talking about.
"Stepovers, nutmegs – yes he does that all the time. But for him to think about that in a game of that magnitude is something else."
Topics: Zinedine Zidane, Lamine Yamal, Football, Real Madrid, Barcelona
James Taylor