Zinedine Zidane

Zidane is often considered to be one of the best footballers in the world still playing, and certainly among the most talented.

Current Club: Real Madrid

Birth Date: June 23, 1972

Birth Place: Marseille, France

Nickname: Zizou

Height: 178cm

Weight: 78Kg

Position: Midfielder

Full Name: Zinedine Yazid (la'na) Zidane

Zidane is often considered to be one of the best footballers in the world still playing, and certainly among the most talented.

Zidane's dribbling of the ball and passing ability as a midfielder has earned him the nickname of 'genius' and 'magician' by the world's sport media (Luis Omar Tapia from ESPN calls him 'Harry Potter' in reverence of his 'magical' abilities).

Zidane's well-maintained balance makes him one of the game's finest players and the natural successor to France's Michel Platini.

Zidane was a member of the French football team in 1998 World Cup, which France won, scoring two headed goals in the final against Brazil. Two years later, he led his country to a second major championship, winning Euro 2000.

That victory against Italy is widely considered as the greatest match ever played by the French national team. He has been elected three times as FIFA World Player of the Year (1998, 2000, 2003).

On 25 April 2006 Zidane officially announced his decision to retire after the 2006 FIFA World Cup.