Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane, in a brilliant, must-watch chat with Lionel Messi, has revealed who the toughest opponent he ever faced was.
The Frenchman, rated the fourth-best footballer of the 2000s, endured a glittering career and, at the peak of his powers, could be considered one of the sport’s greatest. He oozed elegance and made skipping past players look like second nature.express.co.uk/…/Zinedine-Zidane-Paul-Scholes-was-my-toughest-rival.
Zidane’s career was very illustrious and, as such, he came up against some very tough opponents while plying his trade for an array of sides: Madrid, Juventus and the French national team. Previously, it was the former Manchester United and England midfield maestro Paul Scholes that he had opted for, claiming in 2011 that he was ‘the greatest midfielder of his generation’.
“My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation.”
Years down the line, it seems as if the 51-year-old’s opinion has changed, and he’s now revealed to Messi – the player to rack up the most Ballon d’Or points of all time – the duo that he now considers his toughest ever opponents.
Years down the line, it seems as if the 51-year-old’s opinion has changed, and he’s now revealed to Messi – the player to rack up the most Ballon d’Or points of all time – the duo that he now considers his toughest ever opponents.
“The toughest player? Well, not the toughest player, but the hardest one in the sense that he was very good. Not hard in the sense that he wanted to hit you, you know? But the hardest one was Paolo Maldini because he was very smart and intelligent on the field. Sometimes I was in front of him and well…” he said as he heaped praise the Italian stalwart.
“And [Lilian] Thuram. He was tough. When he is on your team, you are happy. But if he is playing against you, you are not.”
Zidane opted for AC Milan legend Maldini, who is included in Ronaldo Nazario’s greatest-ever XI, as his first pick and commended his intelligence and high on-pitch IQ. Given the legendary status that the Italian holds at the San Siro and around the world after making 901 appearances for theRossoneri, it is hardly a surprise to see Zidane pick him out as a pain to play against.
Nor is it surprising to see him giving props to his compatriot Lilian Thuram, too. A World Cup winner alongside Zidane, the former Juventus and Parma defender experienced success wherever he went, and is still regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the 21st century. Two solid choices there, Zinedine. You can watch the clip and the full video on YouTube below.
Watch: Zidane and Messi’s in-depth chat
The toughest player you played against?
Zidane: Maldini & Thuram pic.twitter.com/sdm26QjQI0
— My Greatest 11 (@MyGreatest11) November 9, 2023