Exclusive : Zinedine Zidane’ interview

Zinédine Zidane took the stage on the final day of Il Festival dello Sport in Trento, joining a lineup that included former Italy coach Luciano Spalletti.

The French legend began by speaking about his roots and early passion for football:

“Like all children, I learned to love football in the streets. Forty-five years ago in Marseille, I was always playing with a ball — that was my passion. I supported Marseille, of course. My parents are from Algeria; they moved to France for work, and times were difficult back then. I’m proud of my children because they are respectful — and for me, that’s what matters most.”

Zidane also shared his perspective on how the game has evolved:

“Compared to the past, I feel something is missing today. When I watch matches now, I want to see more attacking football. I do miss the football of the past.”

Zidane on Juventus: “In Turin, winning was the only option”

Zidane looked back fondly on his years in Turin, calling his time at Juventus “beautiful.”

Zinedine Zidane 📸

“Coming from France, where football was good but not at Juve’s level, I immediately felt that winning was the only thing that mattered — at home or away, always. What I remember most about Avvocato Agnelli is that when I played well, he’d call me at six in the morning to congratulate me. He was a true gentleman, and you could see his passion for the game.”

The Frenchman also paid tribute to his former teammate Alessandro Del Piero:

Zinedine Zidane 📸

“He was incredible — one of the best players in Italy. I was lucky to play four or five years with him and many others. We really had a great team, but Del Piero had something special.”

Zidane concluded by reflecting on Juventus’ pursuit of European glory:

“The Champions League is difficult to win. We reached two finals and lost both. Sometimes it depends on the club’s vision — to win the Champions League, you need a lot of everything.”

“Me as coach of Juventus? I’m not sure why it didn’t happen, different decisions were made. Juventus will always have a place in my heart because the club has given me so much. As for the future, we’ll see. I would also love the opportunity to coach France someday.”

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