Zinedine Zidane has rubbed shoulders with some of the greatest players in the history of football. However, if there is one regret he still expresses today, it is that he never played alongside a Premier League icon. A player he considered ‘the complete footballer’ and whose talent he deeply admired.
Zinedine Zidane shone at some of Europe’s biggest clubs, most notably Real Madrid. He led the French national team and Real Madrid to great heights alongside legends such as Thierry Henry, Ronaldo Nazário, Raul, Roberto Carlo and Patrick Vieira. However, when asked in 2010 which player he would have liked to have as a team-mate, ZZ did not hesitate: Paul Scholes, the illustrious Manchester United midfielder.
Interviewed by the Daily Mail in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup, Zidane regretted that England had not tried to convince Scholes to come out of international retirement. He stressed how much his talent would have benefited the Three Lions. And if he had the power, he would have wanted to play with him at Real Madrid.
‘It’s only natural to want to select your best players, and there’s no doubt in my mind that Paul Scholes is still in a class of his own. He’s almost untouchable in what he does. I never tire of watching him play,’ said Zidane in 2010.
For Zidane, the England midfielder was the epitome of the complete player: ‘You rarely come across such an accomplished footballer, but Scholes is as close to perfection as you can get. One of my regrets is that the opportunity to play alongside him never arose during my career. I really regret that. He’s the kind of player you’d rather have in your team than opposite it, because he can do so much damage.’
Mutual respect between the two legends
Zidane not only praised Scholes’ attacking talent, but also his ability to defend and manage possession with surgical precision. While some critics sometimes criticised him for making mistakes, the former Les Bleus No10 saw in him an exceptional intelligence for the game. Scholes, for his part, also expressed his immense respect for Zidane.
The TNT Sport expert even admitted that the Frenchman was the most formidable opponent he had faced in his career. Two legends, two styles, a mutual admiration. Although the history of football has never brought them together in the same shirt, Zidane and Scholes share a mutual recognition that testifies to their immense talent.
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