The centenary match at Parc Lescure last spring confirmed it again: Zinedine Zidane is among the greatest legends of the Girondins. An observation that raises eyebrows among some. “ There are many people who put Zinedine Zidane among the best players in the history of the Girondins de Bordeaux, because of his aura. But Zinedine Zidane became the best French player of all time, after Bordeaux”we can also hear the ForEver Debriefers in the podcast.
“In Bordeaux I can tell you, for those who followed, that he was often whistled, he often had problems, he was often injured Zinedine Zidane. He did not play in his position, he played more of a defensive midfielder, to the detriment of the great midfielder that he was,” he was recalled. Nicolas Laspalles, who crossed the road of Zinedine Zidane while he was playing at Guingamp undoubtedly shared this opinion.
Because when choosing the strongest player he faced, the Breton certainly turns to the Girondins but thinks more of Christophe Dugarry than of Zinedine Zidane. “The Bordeaux generation with Zinédine Zidane, Christophe Dugarry and Bixente Lizarazu. It was especially Dugarry who impressed me. He was a chicken who played well with his arms and moved a lot”he confided.
The former Parisian is not the first to claim that Duga was better than Zizou in his younger years. “ At 17 or 18 years old yes, I wasn’t the only one to say it, assured Pierre Labat, historic trainer of the Girondins de Bordeaux. Jean-François Jodar told me that too. He knew what he was talking about since he was the youth team coach at the time. He always told me “he’s better than Zizou”. Firstly because he had more confidence. He was able to do it thanks to that but also because he had above-average talent. »
Christophe Dugarry himself affirmed in the show Le Vestiaire in 2017 that he had the same technical level as Zinedine Zidane. A statement validated by Lilian Thuram. “ There is something serious, said the former Blues defender. I’m not kidding. I know there is controversy because Duga said that… But I can tell you that Duga, when he was young, he was too strong. Listen to me carefully. People who take him for an idiot when he says that technically, he was as strong as Zizou: but it’s reality! You don’t realize it. I remember a match against Roma. And even against Monaco. The guys were saying: who is him? On the other hand, Dugarry has always been borderline. The guys were telling him ‘oh kid, calm down’. And he said ‘oh, what’s your name’? Honestly, Duga, he was too strong. »
