Former Real Madrid and France star Zinedine Zidane reflected on the highlights of his incredible playing career, and picked out one stadium in particular as being the standout venue he played in.
Zidane is rightly regarded among the best footballers of all time thanks to a glittering career for club and country, with the playmaker winning every major honour there is to win, and making an impact on the biggest stage time and time again.
Naturally, after a career spanning 26 years, from World Cup finals to Champions League triumphs, it’s no surprise Zidane has graced the turf at some of the top stadiums in the game, but which is the best?
Thanks to an in-depth breakdown of Zidane’s experiences as a player from Madrid Xtra (via Yahoo Sports), we now have the answer to that very question, and the answer is not all that surprising.
Zidane spent five glorious years at Real Madrid, and clearly built quite the affinity for the club as a whole, stating, “The Bernabeu is top, top, top. For me, the Bernabeu is number one. The people, stadium, everything, the history that the club has, it’s the best.”
To be fair to Zidane, most players, pundits, and football fans would likely agree that the Bernabeu is right up there when it comes to sporting venues.
Zidane named the goal against Bayer Leverkusen as his favourite (Image: Getty)
Further reflecting on his time at Madrid, Zidane celebrated his best ever goal for the club, selecting that iconic Champions League final volley from 2002, which won the Spanish giants the trophy.
He added: “The best, most beautiful and important one, I think is the goal against Leverkusen. We needed this goal to win the Champions League.”
That strike showcased Zidane’s magical ability to change a game with a moment of brilliance, and highlighted the Frenchman’s incredible technical talents.
Zinedine Zidane could’ve signed for Manchester United but the club decided against it (Credit:Getty)
While Zidane achieved everything there is to achieve, he did have one regret from his playing career, having missed out on playing for his boyhood club.
Now a coach, and an out of work one at that, Zidane will be looking for his next challenge in football. He was linked with the Manchester United role previously, but that opportunity has passed him by once more.