The scarred French messiah
It might seem ironic, but it was World Cup-winning Italian coach Marcello Lippi who signed Zidane to the Italian club Juventus. And thus began the Turin-based club's comeback story, as they lifted the
1996 European Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup (the same year), became the Serie A champions
in 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 and won the Italian Super Cup in 1997.
France: The masala mix
In the 1998 World Cup, Zidane scored in only one match. But his two goals -- both headers against Brazil -- made the French the world champions. Two years later, he added the European Championship to France's kitty, the first team since West Germany of 1976 to hold both the World Cup and Euro titles.
But he still remained a volatile cocktail, and saw two red cards back to back in the Champions League in 2000. One was for, you guessed it, a head-butt.
In 2001, he became the most expensive football player till then when he was transferred to Spanish club Real Madrid on a four-year contract for $64.45 million.
The world in his hands: Zidane in happier times, eight years ago, with the World Cup in his home city of Marseilles.
Photograph: Boris Horvat/AFP/Getty Images
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