Inter Miami famous person Lionel Messi showered reward on legendary French footballer Zinedine Zidane in a latest interview.
Zidane is broadly considered one of many best gamers to grace the soccer discipline. The Frenchman was identified for his immaculate playmaking expertise, dribbling capability, and magnificence on the ball.
Zidane gained 13 main titles for membership and nation, together with the FIFA World Cup (1998) and the UEFA Champions League (2001-02), throughout a 17-year-long senior profession. The 1998 Ballon d’Or winner revamped 200 appearances every for Juventus and Actual Madrid earlier than hanging up his boots in 2006.
Messi lately sat down with the 51-year-old Frenchman for an interview put in place by Adidas Soccer. The Argentine famous person lauded Zidane and known as him ‘one of many biggest gamers in historical past’.
Messi stated (h/t @AlbicelesteTalk on X):
“I’m not saying this as a result of he’s right here, however I’ve stated it a number of occasions earlier than. Zidane is without doubt one of the biggest gamers in historical past, and I’ve at all times admired and beloved him. I used to observe him quite a bit in Madrid and I additionally suffered from him quite a bit as a result of I’m from Barcelona. Zidane is magnificence, artwork, magic and all the things.
“I’ve many recollections of him, together with his aim in opposition to Leverkusen within the Champions League closing, his targets in opposition to Brazil within the World Cup closing, the enduring spinning transfer he used to do, and the well-known Valencia aim.”
Like Messi, Zidane performed in two FIFA World Cup finals — dropping and profitable one every. He scored a brace within the 1998 version when France beat Brazil 3-0 within the closing and in addition obtained his identify on the scoresheet within the 2006 closing in opposition to Italy. Nevertheless, He was despatched off for a headbutt on Marco Materazzi, with Les Bleus dropping the ultimate on penalties.
Lionel Messi says he regrets dropping the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing
Through the interview, Zinedine Zidane requested Lionel Messi if the latter wished to replay a sport from his previous.
The Inter Miami playmaker responded by saying, through the aforementioned supply:
“I’ve not regretted something in my profession, however the 2014 World Cup closing continues to be caught in my thoughts, though I can overlook it slightly with this World Cup…”
Messi scored 4 targets and offered an help in six 2014 FIFA World Cup matches earlier than the ultimate in opposition to Germany. However the former Barcelona famous person was largely saved quiet by the German’s stable backline.
Mario Gotze got here on in further time to attain the winner and hand Germany their fourth FIFA World Cup title. Eight and a half years later, Messi lastly obtained his arms on the coveted trophy when Argentina beat France within the closing on penalties (3-3 A.E.T).