Talented legend would've kept me on the bench if he was French - Zidane

Legendary French midfielder and former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has lavished high praise on Manchester United icon Ryan Giggs, claiming that had the Welshman been French, he and Robert Pires may never have made the national team starting XI.

Despite not taking on a managerial role since his second stint at Real Madrid ended in 2021, Zidane continues to command respect in the world of football.

Zidane didn’t shy away from acknowledging the talent of others, especially that of Ryan Giggs.

Speaking in 2020, Zidane said, “If he was French, Pires or myself would have been on the bench.”

Giggs, a “one-club man,” spent his entire 24-year playing career with Manchester United, making over 960 appearances and winning 13 Premier League titles, more than any other player in history.

Interestingly, the admiration was mutual, in an interview with The Manchester Evening News, Giggs identified Zidane as one of the greatest he ever faced.

“The best I have played against, or who had the biggest impact on me, was Zidane. When I first played against him for Juventus, he was amazing — huge, brilliant touch, great balance. I played against Messi as well, but Zidane just had a big impact on me,” he said.

Zidane’s playing journey began at Cannes and rose to prominence with Bordeaux in the early 1990s. After leading Bordeaux to the UEFA Cup final in 1996, Zidane transferred to Juventus.

Over five years in Italy, he helped the club clinch two Serie A titles and reach two Champions League finals.

Zidane played a major role in France’s 1998 FIFA World Cup triumph and their Euro 2000 victory, the achievements that led to him winning the Ballon d'Or in 1998.

In 2001, he moved to Real Madrid in a then-world-record deal and went on to win La Liga and the UEFA Champions League before hanging up his boots in 2006.

As a coach, Zidane brought further glory to Real Madrid, guiding them to an unprecedented three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018.