Zinedine Zidane has played with some of the most incredible stars to have ever played the game, but the Frenchman once named a Premier League legend as the player he had the most regrets not lining up alongside. The Ballon d’Or winner featured in one of the most dominant national teams in history, as well as being a part of domestic and European-winning sides at Juventus and Real Madrid.
Despite having had the opportunity to share a dressing room with the likes of Thierry Henry, Ronaldo Nazario, and Patrick Vieira during his playing days, the greatest player of the 1990s revealed back in 2010 that he wished he had the chance to run the midfield with a man he described as “the complete footballer.”
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Zidane Revealed Regret For Not Playing With Paul Scholes
The Frenchman has long spoken of his admiration for the Manchester United icon
As per the Daily Mail, Zidane was asked about whether or not England should try to coax Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes out of international retirement ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Not only did the Frenchman believe it would greatly benefit the Three Lions, but he went on to speak glowingly about the playmaker and explain his regrets of not playing on the same team as him at some point in his career:
“It’s only natural to want to select your best players and there is no doubt for me that Paul Scholes is still in a class of his own. He’s almost untouchable in what he does. I never tire of watching him play.
“You rarely come across the complete footballer, but Scholes is as close to it as you can get. One of my regrets is that the opportunity to play alongside him never presented itself during my career. He is the type of player you want on your side, not in opposition because he could do so much damage. “
Zidane would go on to praise the United star’s ability defensively as well as in possession, something that Scholes was often criticised for. However, in the years since, it has become clear that the respect between the two parties is mutual, as the now TNT Sport pundit also admitted that Zidane was the toughest opponent of his career.
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All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – accurate as of 31/01/2025.
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