Arsenal defeated Nottingham Forest 3-0 on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League, but it is above all a technical gesture that has retained all the attention. Martin ZubiMendi, freshly landed from Spain this summer, scored his very first goal in the English championship on an action from elsewhere. A volley of rare purity, struck with a perfect balance, which capsized the public of the Emirates and triggered a wave of reactions on social networks.
ZubiMendi, a strike that is talked about
Internet users quickly dared an analogy that did not go unnoticed: “Zidane-Esque”. The parallel was born out of the similarity with the famous volley of Zinedine Zidane in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen. If the contexts are incomparable, the execution of Zubimendi recalled, by its aesthetics and its surgical precision, the gesture of the 1998 Golden Ballon. On X, some fans went so far as to qualify the Spaniard as “Living play”.
And Zubimendi did not stop there. The midfielder doubled the bet in the second act by scoring a goal of the head, confirming that he already adapts perfectly to the requirements of Mikel Arteta. In an already supplied environment, the former Real Sociedad player asserts himself as a recruit of choice, capable of providing solutions both defensive and offensive. Its versatility and technical accuracy quickly seduce London supporters.
Zidane remains untouchable!
With this victory, the Gunners confirm their solidity at the start of the season and their ability to stay in the title race. Zubimendi's impact illustrates the targeted recruitment led by Arteta to strengthen an already competitive workforce. Flattering comparisons participate in the excitement around the player, especially since it is his first goal in England, a strong symbol for a defensive midfielder.
The fact remains that putting Zubimendi on the same level as Zidane is almost provoking. If the 2024 European champion impresses, he will need an entire masterpiece of masterpiece to hope even to approach the genius of the French. English fans may have wanted to get carried away a little quickly. Zubimendi is for nothing, but we will recall that we will not compare lightly a simple goal to the legacy of a player who scored the history of world football.
