Real Madrid icon Zinedine Zidane has revealed the two opponents he found most challenging to face throughout his distinguished career.
At 52, Zidane is celebrated as one of football’s all-time greats, having achieved every major accolade at both club and international levels, and being part of several exceptional teams during his playing years.
His career included stints at Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus, and Real Madrid, where he secured league titles in Italy and Spain, as well as the Champions League with Real Madrid.
In addition to his club success, Zidane won the European Championship with France in 2000 and the World Cup in 1998. However, his career ended on a controversial note when he was dismissed in the 2006 World Cup final for a notorious headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
After retiring, Zidane began coaching Real Madrid’s reserve team for 18 months before taking over as the first-team manager in 2016. During his time managing Real Madrid, Zidane won two La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies.
Despite speculation linking him to a return to coaching with Bayern Munich and Manchester United, Zidane has yet to rejoin a top European club as a manager.
During his playing career, Zidane faced many exceptional defenders who are considered some of the best ever. It’s no surprise that the two defenders Zidane found most challenging were both prominent central defenders from the 1990s and 2000s.
One of these was his former French teammate Lilian Thuram, with whom Zidane won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship. The other was Italian legend Paolo Maldini, who dedicated his entire career to AC Milan over an impressive 25 years.
In a video that went viral last year, Zidane spoke with Lionel Messi and commented, “The most challenging player… not challenging in terms of being physical, but challenging in terms of skill and intelligence was Paolo Maldini. He was very clever and strategic on the field. Sometimes I found myself facing him, and it was tough.”
He also mentioned Thuram, saying, “He was difficult to play against. When he’s on your team, you’re happy, but when you’re up against him, it’s a different story.”
