Happy Birthday Zinedine Zidane: A look at his achievements
Former football superstar and current Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane celebrates his 48th birthday today. One of the best mid-fielders of all-time, the Frenchman went on to leave a mark in the game for both country and club football. He has now established himself as a top manager in the world. Here we look at the achievements of Zidane.
Zidane went on to win 13 trophies as a player
Zidane started his career with French side Cannes in Ligue 1, before moving to Bordeaux, where he established himself as a top mid-fielder. A move to Juventus in 1996 helped him gain a solid reputation. He also plied his trade at Real Madrid in a five-year stint. In 684 career club matches, Zidane amassed 125 goals. He won a staggering 13 trophies.
One of the greatest players to have played for France
Zidane is arguably one of the greatest players to have represented France in football. The mid-fielder played 108 matches for his country and scored 31 goals. He went on to the win the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in the year 2000. He was also a FIFA World Cup runner-up in the 2006 edition.
First manager to win three consecutive Champions League titles
He became the manager of Real Madrid on January 4, 2016 and stamped his authority. Zidane became the first manager ever to win three successive Champions League honors for Real Madrid (2016, 2017, 2018). Real also became the first club in the modern UCL era to clinch three successive titles under Zidane. Zidane joined Carlo Ancelotti and Bob Paisley to win three UCL honors.
Zidane vying for a second La Liga honor
As a manager, Zidane has already won one La Liga honor, two Spanish Super Cups, three Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups. He is vying to lift his second La Liga title this season, with Real Madrid topping the table at the moment. Out of 202 matches in all competitions, Zidane has helped Real win 134 games.
Notable accolades won by Zidane in his career
Zidane won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award in 1998. He is also a three-time FIFA World Player of the Year. The mid-fielder also bagged the Serie A Player of the Year award in 2000-01. As a manager, Zidane has pocketed the Best FIFA Football Coach in 2017, besides being a two-time runner-up as well. He has won two IFFHS World's Best Club Coach awards.
