I don't understand why people use to forget Zidane's period at Juve: that was actually the best Zidane, and not a case he won there his unic Balon d'Oro, and there was a second one in 2000 that France Football didn't give him only because he was sent off twice (always by head butt!) in group stage with Juve.
Zidane 1998)
he was already the best footballer of the world, beside Ronald and Del Piero.....but he was most magician.
The previous year he arrived 3rd......his first year as almost unkknown at Juve was magnificent, specially some great match such Intercontinental Cup, European Supercup, Milan-Juve 1-6 in Serie A and CL semifinal vs Ajax, both legs.
His second year at Juve was just slightly below his first, probably because he started to think of world cup at home. Nonetherless, again great performances and plays with Juve winning the league and reaching CL Final
In WC 1998, he go a red card in group stage, and came back for 1/4ers vs Italy....... I saw him that entire match, and I've never seen before or later (except from him) such domination of a match from a midfielder in such a level competition...... It was incredibile how he could put Italy in difficulty every single ball touched for 120 minute, and it was THAT Italy.
He was the unquestionable leader of that fabulous France, as he showed again in 2000 when France won EURO.
His semifinal vs Portugal is in history of football......he reached level of art applied to football never seen before or later.
And those were his best years....from 1999 to 2000......when both Del Piero and Ronaldo were broken.
He felt to be the unique leader at Juve, and became an alien.
His 1999/2000 Serie A is the best league I've ever seen from a player......and I saw Platini, Maradona, Zico, Van Basten, Gullit, Baggio, Batistuta, and others. I attempted that year the match in Rome Lazio-Juve....... Lazio was Juve's competitors that year, based only on his fantastich midfield: Veron, Stankovic, Nedved, Almeyd, S. Conceiçao.
Well........Zidane could stop them every single action in defense, and dribbled always 2 or 3 of them all the match....before passing to our weak forwards that year (Del Piero 2.0 and Inzaghi).....that was his problem those: Juve had decreased his level, specially on forwards.
So he moved to Madrid, and he was right: we weren't more a club worthy of him.
But the best Zidane has been from 1996 to 2001, and specially around 2000.
When he missed WC 2002 because injury, France not only didn't pass the group stage, but they didn't score a single goal !
And they came to be the first team in history to win EURO after WC....so that, supposed to be one of best team history.
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Platini)
Said all that, being Juventus supporter I can state: PLATINI WAS BETTER THAN ZIDANE !!
3 consecutive Balon d'Or at part (all well deserved...not like Messi with his 2010's
to who stated that he didn't do anything particular for NT, I have nothing else to say but.....get informed !!
Before Platini, France had for football the same role that nowdays could have Russia or China.
He changed the history of his country, and also Juve's.
At part of reaching 2 consecutive semifinals in WC 1982 and 1986, he won EURO 1984 with probably the best single performance ever for a player:
9 goals in 5 matches !!
And it was that football, and that european football: defenders could beat other's legs, gks could stop the balls etc.
9 goal in 5 matches.......for who was the playmake of the team, like he was at Juve, despite being always the best scorer both in the leagues and in european Cups.
The most complete and amazing player I've ever seen.
Platini has been undoubtedly better than Maradona
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Messi of course has got too many numbers for club.....and as I already said....... he's the best player ever for club
But he's far, very far, from what Zidane, Platini and others have done on a international level.
So he misses too much to be considered the best ever overall.
Bu he's got still time and .....in any case....... that should not be much important for a Barça fan
