Generation 'ZZ' adore Zidane but warn he will be judged on results | OneFootball

France’s youngest supporters, many too young to have seen Zidane play, idolise him yet insist he will be judged on results.

According to Le Progres, two decades after he ended his career, his feats still resonate, drawing selfie-seekers at FFF headquarters and an autograph session around training at Clairefontaine.

Bastien, 22, from Moselle-est, praises his technique and vision, the maestro who made teams tick. Romain, in a Racing Club de Strasbourg jacket, says 1998 clips on TikTok still amaze with their ease.

Salim, 10, first met the 1998 Ballon d’Or on FIFA, learned the roulette from videos shown by his father Hicham, and thinks he outshines today’s players. Nolan, 15, travelled from Metz to Brussels to see the former number 10 at King Baudouin Stadium and believes the Materazzi headbutt cost France the 2006 final.

Belgium has admirers too. Corentin, 17, from Liège, rewound on YouTube and chats about him with friends. Comparisons among the Bleus run from Paul Pogba to Michael Olise, while Hugo, 23, says you pay to watch such players and his popularity still matters at home and abroad.

Reverence is not a blank cheque. Emma, 21, and Charline, 22, say he is a legend who could bring plenty, yet results will define him. Nolan hopes Real Madrid’s three Champions Leagues from 2016 to 2018 can lift the national side. Bastien feels there was too much noise around his arrival and wants to see if he can repeat that with France. Zidane is ready for the challenge.

Source: Le Progres

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”