If Zinedine Zidane is today an icon for Real Madrid supporters, his story with the Merengue almost came to an end. So much so that he considered stopping everything after just a few months in the Spanish capital.
There is no shortage of biographies of Zinedine Zidane. On November 6, 2019, Frédéric Hermel released his own. The correspondent of L’Equipe in Madrid, close to the former French leader, then delivers a striking revelation: the hero of the 1998 World Cup final thought about ending his career at just 29 years old, so that he was at the top of his game. The reason ? His difficult adaptation to Real Madrid.
A few months earlier, Zinedine Zidane left Juventus Turin for the Merengue club. A transfer for which Real did not hesitate to pay no less than 75 million euros, the former Bordeaux player becoming on this occasion the most expensive player in history. A status that is not easy to carry for the native of Marseille. His first months in the Spanish capital were complicated, both on and off the pitch, where he had difficulty finding his place.
The situation is such that Zizou requests a meeting with Florentin Perez, the Madrid president. In full doubt, the French playmaker tells him of his intention to stop everything. “I decided to stop playing football, to put an end to my career for good. I can not stand it anymore. I’m sorry “, he says to him. The Madrid president falls from a height but reassures his player. “Uh, Zizou, we have just spent 75 million euros to buy out your contract at Juventus…,” replied the former deputy of the liberal right. Don’t panic, things will work out. Let me do… “, he replies before instructing Luis Figo and Raul to facilitate his integration. A mission quickly accomplished since a few months later, Zinedine Zidane will offer the Champions League to Real…
