Zinedine Zidane, thanks to his respective stints with Real Madrid and Juventus, had the pleasure of playing in some of the biggest and best stadiums in world football and named Anfield and Old Trafford among his three favourite grounds to visit as an away player.
One of the classiest midfielders to ever grace the beautiful game, the Marseille-born superstar won a collection of 13 trophies throughout his club career, which consists of just shy of 700 games, including the solitary Champions League (2001/02).
Internationally, he was the figurehead of France’s 1998 World Cup-winning side, notching a brace in the final against Brazil, all while becoming his nation’s seventh-most capped player of all time with 108 appearances.
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Post-retirement, Zidane – who is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in Serie A history – turned his hand to management, taking the reins at Real Madrid Castilla before being promoted to the senior team.
Recently, the out-of-work manager sat down with Los Blancos to chat about all things shirts, his favourite goal and which of the many stadiums he has christened holds a special place in his heart.
Anfield, Liverpool
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Referencing Liverpool’s famous Anfield ground, Zidane gave Real’s Madrid YouTube channel in September 2024 a very simple answer, “Liverpool.” Interestingly, the former engine room operator never played a game for club – neither Real Madrid nor Juventus nor Bordeaux – on the red side of Merseyside.
He did, however, play there during France’s Euro 1996 quarter-final contest against the Netherlands. The midfielder – nicknamed ‘Zizou’ – converted his nation’s first penalty as they ran out 5–4 victors in the shootout.
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On the other side of the white line, Zidane managed Real Madrid to a 0-0 draw at Anfield, regarded as one of the most atmospheric grounds in world football, in the quarter-final of the 2020/21 Champions League.
Old Trafford, Manchester United
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Adding Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, the 108-cap France international recalled playing some ‘impressive matches’ in Greater Manchester.
“I also remember Manchester United. We played some impressive matches against them [at Old Trafford].”
Now 52, the Cannes academy graduate visited The Theatre of Dreams on four different occasions as a professional footballer – losing twice, drawing once and winning just once with Juventus in November 1996.
Expectedly, the talismanic Frenchman named the Santiago Bernabeu, a pristine stadium he strutted his stuff in on an almost bi-weekly basis between 2001 and 2006, as his standout favourite, while he also gave a special mention to Marseille’s Stade Velodrome.
“The [Santiago] Bernabeu is top, top, top. For me, the Bernabeu is number one. The people, stadium, everything, the history that the club [Real Madrid] has, the best.”
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