2023-11-10 14:38:54
“It’s time for me to pass the ball to you,” quips Zinédine Zidane. Sitting face to face, two of the greatest players in history exchange a few passes, not without being impressed by each other. Brought together by their partner and equipment manufacturer Adidas, Lionel Messi and Zinédine Zidane spoke at length and looked back on their respective careers.
They notably recalled an evening in November 2005 at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, where FC Barcelona, leader, traveled to the pitch of its historic rival, Réal Madrid. In the Merengues ranks, Zinédine Zidane takes his place in the middle, while Lionel Messi occupies the right wing of the Blaugrana eleven. The French international is a few months from retirement at 33, while the young Argentinian is having the first full season of his career at 18. “We didn’t have the chance to play together, but we clashed a bit,” explains Léo Messi. This will ultimately be the only confrontation between the two legends.
“Observing you on the pitch, I almost knew what you were going to do”
Admiration was the key word of this interview. For half an hour, Messi and Zidane were very enthusiastic about each other. ” It is magic. Before receiving the ball, he already knew what to do with it. Watching you on the pitch, I almost knew what you were going to do. It’s like a connection, Zizou said of his Argentinian counterpart. I saw things before the other players, I was a second ahead. But you were three seconds ahead of the others”
“He was always a different and elegant player, with art and magic. It was difficult for me because I was a Barcelona fan but great players go beyond the jersey of their club or their country,” continued La Pulga. Today, few players can boast of having scored two goals in a World Cup final and helping their country win. Zidane (in 1998) and Messi (in 2022) can. “Scoring a goal in the World Cup final is the best thing ever, isn’t it? We can both say that,” added the Inter Miami player.
At 36, Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami this summer until 2025 and has just won his eighth Ballon d’Or. Without a club since his departure from Réal Madrid in 2021, Zinédine Zidane is still waiting to take a new turn in his coaching career.
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