Zinedine Zidane has revealed which of his former Real Madrid players astounded him above all others.

The former midfielder, who won 17 titles as a player and later served as manager twice for Los Blancos, is unquestionably one of the most well-liked legends in the club’s history.

During his tenure in the Santiago Bernabeu dugout, Zidane oversaw a number of legendary players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, Gareth Bale, Vinicius Junior, and Casemiro.

However, he admitted in an interview with Telefoot that Luka Modric was not too far behind Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema as his first choice for a player who gets him out of his seat.

“If there is a player who lifts me out of my chair, that is Karim Benzema. Maybe also Luka Modric, players who, when they have the ball, you think they are going to lose it, but no, they always manage to get away with it,” Zidane said.

During Zidane’s first managerial tenure, Benzema primarily served as a supporter of Ronaldo, frequently selflessly setting up the Portuguese attacker. The Frenchman even finished the 2017–18 La Liga season with just five goals in 32 games.

By the time Zidane made his second appearance in Real Madrid in March 2019, Benzema had accepted the responsibility of being the team’s primary goal scorer. In 2022, a year after Zidane left once more, he eventually guided Los Blancos to their 14th Champions League championship.

The 51-year-old, who has been out of work for the past two years, acknowledged that he misses the routine of managing a football team.

“Do I miss the adrenaline of training at the highest level? Yes of course. When you’re away, you see it differently. I haven’t had it for two years, but it will come,” he added.

When asked if he would work in France – either for the national team or PSG – Zidane replied: “You can’t deny anything. I know what I want and what I don’t want. If I have decided to take a break, it is because I should have. I hope I can tell myself that soon I will be able to return to training.”

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Jude Bellingham, one of Real Madrid’s newest stars, was questioned about the club’s intentions to sign Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe this summer.

Bellingham signed a six-year contract in Madrid to finalize his long-awaited transfer to Los Blancos for an initial €103 million fee this week.

As is customary for all new Galacticos, Bellingham held a news conference to announce his arrival in Madrid and announced that he will be wearing the historic number five jersey worn by Zinedine Zidane while he was the club’s manager.

While the majority of questions centred on Bellingham and his devotion to Real Madrid, he was also questioned about a few other transfer-related issues.

Sky Sports first questioned him over the likelihood of his English teammate Kane joining him in Spain since Kane is one of the candidates Real Madrid has shortlisted to replace Karim Benzema.

“As far as the Harry Kane rumours go, I can’t comment on that,” Bellingham batted away. “He’s a world-class player, he’s my captain; I love him as a player and a person. Whatever happens there happens.”

The next question to Bellingham concerned Real Madrid’s protracted pursuit of Mbappe, who may depart PSG this summer after declaring he would not be signing a new deal.

“I can’t really comment, I don’t know his situation. If anything, my whole saga has taught me that not everything you see is true,” Bellingham added, before admitting he would like to rub shoulders with the Frenchman.

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Before being introduced as the newest superstar for the Spanish giants, Jude Bellingham took Zinedine Zidane’s famous former Real Madrid jersey number.

Bellingham, a 19-year-old international for England, has signed a six-year contract in Madrid and joins there following three seasons with Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

Numerous Premier League clubs were interested in the teenager, but he ultimately decided to move to Spain after placing second in the Bundesliga in what turned out to be his final season in Germany.

The French superstar Zidane, who famously scored in the No. 5 shirt when Real won the Champions League in 2002 and later led the team to three straight European titles between 2016 and 2018, has given it to Bellingham ahead of his Thursday debut.

The No.22 shirt he wore for Dortmund and his first club Birmingham City is now worn by Antonio Rudiger, while Jesus Vallejo was Real Madrid’s No.5 last season.

With Bellingham taking the number five, Jesús Vallejo will now wear the number 24 shirt.

“Easy, man. Zidane first,” Bellingham said when asked for his top three inspirations in football on a Borussia Dortmund podcast last year.

Before going on to say that seeing the man himself for the first time, before last season’s Champions League final, was “the first time I felt being in awe of someone.”

🤩👕 Ya es oficial… ¡nuestro nuevo 5️⃣ ya tiene nombre!
🤍 @BELLINGHAMJUDE#HeyJude | @adidasfootball pic.twitter.com/FwWKXiHoGL

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) June 15, 2023

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Kylian Mbappe has accused French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet of disrespecting legendary midfielder Zinedine Zidane.

Le Graet stated that he did not speak with Zidane about taking over as France coach after the French coach signed a contract extension amid speculation that he will leave after the 2022 World Cup.

Le Graet told RMC Sport: “Did Zidane tried to reach me? Certainly not, I wouldn’t even have picked up the phone anyway.” He added: “I’ve never met him, we never considered parting with Didier.”

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Mbappe took to Twitter to share his shock at the FFF president’s comments, posting on Twitter: “Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect the legend like that…”

Zidane c’est la France, on manque pas de respect à la légende comme ça… 🤦🏽‍♂️

— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) January 8, 2023

Zidane has been considered for a number of positions in recent months, most recently declining a job offer to become the head coach of the United States.

The former Real Madrid and France player has been without a job ever since ending his second stint as manager at Santiago Bernabeu at the conclusion of the 2020–21 season. He has also been linked with the position of Brazil’s national team manager.

France will focus on the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign after finishing as runners-up in the World Cup, beginning with a match against the Netherlands on March 24.

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On Saturday, Kylian Mbappe scored twice as defending champions France defeated Denmark 2-1 to advance as the first team to the round of 16 of the World Cup in Qatar.

After a deft one-two with teammate Theo Hernandez, Mbappe gave France the lead in the Group D match just after the hour mark with a prodded finish. However, Denmark fought back with a thunderous header from defender Andreas Christensen to tie the game.

A late cross from Antoine Griezmann was converted by the Paris Saint-Germain striker, ensuring France’s perfect record as they continue their World Cup championship defence. As of right now, Mbappe is tied with French superstar Zinedine Zidane for the most goals ever scored in the nation with 31 goals.

Following the outcome on Saturday, France now leads Group D with six points, three more than second-place Australia, while Denmark is yet to record a victory with just a point after two games.

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France had the better chances in a tight, tense first half as Adrien Rabiot came close with a header and the Danes were pushed into several last-ditch blocks to preserve their clean sheet.

Mbappe gave the French the lead in the 61st minute by capping an excellent high-speed French attack with a bouncing first-time goal off Hernandez’s deft pull-back.

Seven minutes later, Christensen, who is always a threat from set pieces, brought the Danes even by sneaking in behind the defence and stooping to head the ball home.

In the 80th minute, Rabiot launched a spectacular volley over but neither team appeared content with a draw. A minute later, substitute Martin Braithwaite launched a first-time effort of his own but it went just wide of the near post.

When Mbappe came up at the far post in the 86th minute to deflect a close-range Griezmann cross to restore the lead and send the visiting French fans into raptures, it appeared as though the game might end in a tie.

In an effort to score a second equalizer, Denmark threw everything forward, leaving a ton of space at the back. However, their late attempts against a team they had previously defeated twice in the Nations League were ineffective, and the French held on to win and advance.

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Karim Benzema has recalled how his calm Panenka penalty against Man City helped Real Madrid advance to the Champions League final last season.

France forward admitted that he was hoping for a big game to deliver a similar penalty kick to Zinedine Zidane’s from the 2006 World Cup final against Italy.

And he did just that late on in the first leg of Real’s semi-final clash with City, clipping his penalty over Ederson to make it 4-3 on the night, with Los Blancos dramatically overturning that one-goal deficit in the home leg.

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Speaking to streamer Zack Nani, Benzema said: “If you don’t take a penalty you can’t miss them. And the opposing goalkeeper is paid to save penalties, so unless you take a penalty I don’t know where… For this penalty, I look at the score, time, etc.

“I wanted to do a Panenka, it had been a while. But I was waiting for a big match, so that it would stay, like for Zizou’s Panenka in the final. I was waiting and there I had an opportunity while during the weekend before, a goalkeeper had stopped me for two penalties. So I was waiting, zero pressure. I put the ball down, Panenka, goal.”

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Former Real Madrid manager, Zinedine Zidane has released a massive hint that he will be returning to coaching imminently as speculation mounts over his future.

The question of when we could see Zidane in the dugout again has received a lot of attention, and the solution might not take too long. He last oversaw Real Madrid in 2021, and he has said it won’t be long until we see him giving coaching instructions on the sidelines once more.

Speaking to RMC Sport at the Grevin Museum in Paris, Zidane cheekily dropped a hint he wasn’t far away from stepping back into management. He said: “I will be back soon. Wait, wait a little bit. Soon, soon. I’m not far from coaching again.”

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Zinedine Zidane: “I will be back soon. Wait, wait a little bit. Soon, soon. I'm not far from coaching again”, tells @RmcSport. 🚨🇫🇷 #Zidane pic.twitter.com/OrmEWHYQ9Z

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 24, 2022

During Real Madrid’s era of dominance in Europe, Zidane won an extraordinary three Champions League titles in a row. While he didn’t win any European honours during his second season with the team, he did manage to win the league.

The message’s obscurity leaves a lot to be desired. He might soon become the manager of a club team. perhaps Juventus, his previous team? Or will he venture into global management now that Didier Deschamps‘ deal with France is about to expire? Time will only tell.

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French Football player Karim Benzema has made a bold claim about his future at Real Madrid after winning the 2022 Ballon d’Or award.

The 34-year-old became the second-oldest winner in the award’s history and the first Frenchman to win the award since Zinedine Zidane in 1998. His contract was reportedly automatically extended by another year following his Ballon d’Or win.

Karim Benzema has declared his intention to hang up his football boots at Real Madrid. After winning the 2022 Ballon d’Or on Monday, October 17, in Paris, he stated as much.

His deal will now run until the summer of 2024, which could be the time when the Lyon-born striker announces his retirement. He will be 36 years old by then, which is around the time most players call it a day when it comes to their playing careers.

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Speaking to Onda Cero (h/t Fabrizio Romano) after the star-studded ceremony, Benzema said:

“I will retire in Real Madrid. There’s no other option for me.”

Karim Benzema announces: "I will retire in Real Madrid. There's no other option for me", he said to Onda Cero right after the Ballon d'Or ceremony. 🚨⚪️ #Benzema pic.twitter.com/PzV6ub4z2d

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 18, 2022

After winning the Ballon d’Or, Benzema could not hide his joy and delight and said (h/t Eurosport):

“Seeing this prize in front of me makes me really proud. It was a childhood dream for me and all the work I have done, I never gave up. I am really proud of my journey here.

“It was not easy, it was a difficult time and also for my family as well. When I was not in the France team I never stopped working hard. To be standing here today for the first time, I am happy for my work and will keep going.”

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Numerous honours were handed to football players and teams at the 66th annual Ballon d’Or ceremony in recognition of their outstanding efforts during the previous calendar year.

On Monday, October 17th, 2022, The award ceremony was held at the Théâtre du Châtelet, this is a theatre and opera house, which is located in the place du Châtelet in Paris, France.

Karim Benzema won the Ballon d’Or yesterday night, making him the first Frenchman to do so since Zinedine Zidane in the past century. It is football’s highest individual honour.

He led Carlo Ancelotti’s team to a stunning LaLiga and Champions League double last season, scoring a remarkable 44 goals across all competitions, so it wasn’t a surprise.

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Gavi defeated players like Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka to win the Kopa Trophy as the greatest male player under the age of 21. The star of Barcelona, Alexia Putellas, won the Ballon d’Or Féminin for the second year in a row.

Beth Mead, who formerly played for Arsenal and England, finished second in the vote. The Yashin Trophy was won by Thibaut Courtois.

Check Here For The Award Won. 

BEST YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR – GAVI ( SPAIN, BARCELONA)

SOCRATES AWARD – SADIO MANE ( SENEGAL, BAYERN MUNICH)

BEST WOMEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR – ALEXIA ( SPAIN, BARCELONA )

BEST STRIKER OF THE YEAR – ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI ( POLAND, BARCELONA)

CLUB OF THE YEAR – MANCHESTER CITY

BEST GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR – THIBAUT COURTOIS

BEST MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR – KARIM BENZEMA ( FRANCE, REAL MADRID)

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The World Cup competition is often regarded as the best in football history, and here are some of the event’s most memorable moments.

1. Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ (Argentina vs England 1986 World Cup quarter-final)

Argentine player Diego Maradona scored the famous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.

Due to Maradona’s use of his hand, the goal was not supposed to stand under association football regulations, but because the officials did not have a clear view of the event and video assistant referee technology (VAR) did not exist, it stood to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. Argentina went on to win the game 2-1, with Maradona scoring the game’s second goal.

2. Diego Maradona’s ‘Goal of the Century’ (Argentina vs England 1986 World Cup quarter-final)

After scoring a controversial goal (Hand of God), Diego Maradona went on to score what became known as the “Goal of the Century.”

Maradona took the ball in his own half and beat every defender before putting it past the goalkeeper, Peter Shilton. A tremendous goal indeed!

3. Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt (France vs. Italy World Cup final 2006)

Zinedine Zidane, one of the greatest football players of all time, was involved in one of the most controversial World Cup moments in history.

During the 2006 World Cup final between France and Italy, the veteran footballer headbutted rival player Materazzi. Materazzi and Zidane got into a heated disagreement, which resulted in the Frace captain losing his cool and headbutting his rival.

As a result, he received a red card, thereby ending his international career.

4. Gordon Banks’ ‘Save Of The Century’ (England vs Brazil 1970)

This historic moment occurred during the 1970 World Cup group stages between England and Brazil when keeper Gordon Banks made a spectacular save from Pelé.

Pele’s downward header was on its way to the back of the net when Banks made a stunning save diving away to his right.

5. Referee Clive Thomas blows final whistle as Brazil ‘score’ late goal (Brazil vs Sweden 1978)

Another historic moment of the World Cup occurred during a World Cup game between Brazil and Sweden.

Clive Thomas, a Welsh referee, denied Brazil a late goal against Sweden. With the scores tied at 1-1, the Brazilians swung in a late corner kick, which Zico headed home. The goal was disallowed by the referee, who blamed the Brazilians for wasting time while taking the corner.

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