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#9 Zinedine Zidane - Real Madrid
When Zinedine Zidane arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2001, signing for Real Madrid in a world record €75 million transfer, it heralded the continuation of the “Galactico” era that had begun with the signing of Luis Figo from Barcelona the year before.
His goal in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen is widely accepted as being one of the best goals ever scored in the competition, Zidane connecting with a volley at waist height and drilling the ball left-footed into the top corner.
His second season brought a La Liga title, and one in which Zidane was considered the architect. The FIFA World Player of the Year award followed for a player who was elegance personified.
Such excellence was no surprise to those who watched him week in and week out and a banner unfurled at his final Real home match that read “Thanks for the magic” was completely appropriate.
Much of Zidane’s time on a football pitch was magical indeed, old boy Alfredo di Stefano even noting that “he plays as if he had silk gloves on each foot”.
Zidane’s standing at the club was never better evidenced than when he retired from football after that 3-3 draw against Villareal in 2006. “Zidane 2001-2006” was placed on Real's shirts below the club badge, a tribute that has been afforded no other player in Los Blancos history.
