Zinedine Zidane

Zidane met his future wife, Véronique Fernández, while playing for Cannes in the 1988-89 season. The two married later on.

The couple has been blessed with four children, all sons, Enzo Alan Zidane Fernández, Luca Zinedine Zidane Fernández, Theo Fernández and Elyaz Zidane Fernández. Enzo, Luca and Theo are all members of the Real Madrid Academy.

Zinedine Zidane was born to Smaïl and Malika. He have four sibling, all elder to him. Originally of Algerian Kabyle Berber descent, the family resided in the northern Marseille suburb of La Castellane.

While his father was a warehouseman by profession, his mother was a homemaker. Unlike people in the neighbourhood, the Zidane family was a respected lot and lived a reasonably comfortable life unlike others who were involved in high crime and were basically, unemployed.

Young Zidane was introduced to the game of football at the tender age of five. Along with the neighbourhood children, he played the game at the Place Tartane, which was the main square of the housing complex.

It was since his early days that Zidane was influenced by Olympique Marseille players Blaz Sliskovic, Enzo Francescoli and Jean-Pierre Papin, who were his ultimate idols.

Zidane bagged his first player license at the age of ten for the junior team of a local club from La Castellane. His term at the club was a short lived one, as after about a year and a half, Zidane moved to SO Septemes-les-Vallons.

Zidane’s alliance with the Septemes lasted for two and a half years, after which he was selected for a three-day training camp at the CREPS, in Aix-en-Provence. His outstanding capability with the ball and the technique of the game brought him in the notice of AS Cannes scout Jean Varraud who recommended him to the training center director of the club.

Originally planned for a six-week stay, Zidane spent four years at the Cannes. While he spent the initial months with other trainees at the dormitory, later on, he went on to stay with Cannes director Jean-Claude Elineau and his family. It was while he was living with the Elineau family that Zidane found equilibrium.

Zidane’s professional debut was with Cannes in the Ligue 1 match against Nantes on May 18, 1989.

Two years later in 1991, Zidane scored his first goal against the same opponent, securing his team a 2-1 win. With Zidane by the side, the club went on to hold its first ever European football berth by qualifying for the UEFA Cup after finishing 4th in the league. It was the club’s highest finish in the top flight.

In 1992-93, Zidane played for the Girondins de Bordeaux. His performance was top notch as the club went on to hold the 1995 Intertoto Cup, and were runner-up in the UEFA Cup, held in 1995-96.

In the field, Zidane played a set of midfield combinations with Bixente Lizarazu and Christophe Dugarry, which went on to become the trademark for Bordeaux and the 1998 French national team.

Later in 1996, Zidane moved to UEFA Champions League winners Juventus for a whopping £3.2 million. Juventus not only recorded a win in the 1996-97 Serie A but also brought home the Intercontinental Cup.