from a technique perspective Zidane is head and shoulders above pretty much every player that's taken to the field..he wasn't fast or frantic it was the ability he had to control the ball and entire matches. His vision and creativity was pure class. He never scored prolifically but with both feet he was potent. It looked like art when he played. Messi and Ronaldo etc are fantastic but make it look more like a horse race there's a frantic Ness to the way they play that make it not as beautiful to watch as zidane in his prime. Those old enough to remember will know zidane is up there with Pele and Maradona
He was French won the firs world cup of the contry back in 1998. He was also playing for the real madrid and he won the champions league with them (which is basically the bigest thing you can win with your club). then he became the manager of the real madrid and won 3 Champions league in a row as a manager. He is a true football legend
After the game as you know the players aske for T-shirt or for swoop T-shirt, somebody aske Messi do you swop your T-shirt to a player you play against to , Messi said I swoop my T-shirt to Argentines player because they are from my country , the only one In my life i asked for his T-shirt is zinedine Zidane . His Mother and father from Algeria born in France.
They are different, If I wanted someone in the Midfield I would chose Zidane, if I wanted a wing/forward I would choose Messi. Messi is Faster, a better Dribbler and Scorer, but Zidane is a better Tackler, Passer, Header, and stronger, and I would say has a little more flair and unexpected creativity. Messi does not surprise you, you know what he is going to do, you just cant stop him, Zidane was more likely to do something you have not actually seen before or would never think to do, or totally did not expect, you cant really compare them. There is no GOAT in football, at best there are GOAT's of each position but even then you get into problems, Messi may be the best Forward of all time, but he is not the best Striker I have seen (despite Striker being a type of forward) The best Striker would be Ronaldo (R9) or Romario or maybe even Cristiano Ronaldo, as Messi is not a striker, but C.Ronaldo is so were Romario and Ronaldo (R9). But none of these guys are great Central Defenders (although I think Cristiano Ronaldo could play there if he chose to, so could Zidane, but Romario and Messi could not, Ronaldo R9 possibly) none of these guys would be great goalkeepers (they are all probably too small, possibly even Zidane at 6'2") So at best I would say you can break it down to best players in each position for each era, Who's the GOAT striker at the moment? C.Ronaldo, who's the GOAT forward? Messi, who's the GOAT attacking midefielder? probably De Bruyne, whos the GOAT Def Mid at the moment? probably Fabinho or Kante, who is the GOAT full back at the moment? probably Robertson, Who is the GOAT central defender? Ramos or VVD who's the GOAT keeper at the moment? Ederson or Allison (there are arguments for other players in some of these positions I was just giving some answers that would make sense, to highlight how the GOAT idea is kind of pointless in football) However if I had to choose an all time team, GOATs in every position, the first name on my team sheet would be Maradona, He is the player I would build my team around, if we are talking peak, any era, any player
