While believing 1998 was not his best year as a footballer, Zinedine Zidane has conceded he wanted to be recognised as the best player in the world.
Zidane was a talismanic figure on French soil as Les Bleus claimed their first World Cup, scoring two goals in the final against Brazil and propelling him to the Ballon d'Or.
Despite going on to scale further heights in football at both club and international level, it remained the only year he ever won the prestigious individual award.
Speaking to L'Equipe to mark his 50th birthday, Zidane revealed it is one of the few trophies he kept from an exceptional playing career, while admitting he particularly wanted the status in the game that accompanied it.
"Because I give everything, I am able to offer everything," he said. "I have almost nothing at home from my career. Two or three objects. I am not at all conservative or materialistic. When I want to see souvenirs, I go to Marseille [where his parents live]. I don't live with it.
"I was a little overconfident the weeks before the vote. I got a little fired up in a few interviews. I've never been one to say, 'I deserve this or that,' but with this Ballon d'Or, in 1998, I told myself a little bit. It wasn't really me but I really wanted to have it.
"I was the best player in the world. It does not happen often, and to me only once. There may be preferences in the votes but when you have it, you have it. You are the best player in the world at this time, and it's beautiful."
Zidane admitted to a dip in form with Juventus after the World Cup success, but believes 2000 was his best year as a footballer as he led an "unplayable" France to a second European Championship.
"After the World Cup, I was catastrophic," he said. "I no longer put one foot in front of the other. Even my friends told me: 'But it's your cousin who plays, it's your cousin who came back to Juve!' When you win a big title like the World Cup, you tend to slack off. And me, I really relaxed.
"It takes time. After January, I restarted. Very well in January and February then I injured myself. One hundred days. The season is over. Then I resumed for the 1999-2000 season with the victory at the Euro. There, I was at the top.
"For the next two or three seasons, I never let go. 1998 was my year but I think 1999-2000 was my greatest season. Not just for me. For our whole generation in blue. Our France team was exceptional. Euro 2000 remains the pinnacle of this generation. At the Euro, we were unplayable."
Lawrence Shankland keen to end strong season by helping Scotland’s European push
Lawrence Shankland is hoping to end his “really strong season” by helping Scotland take another big stride towards Euro 2024.
The 27-year-old has enjoyed arguably the best campaign of his career as he scored 28 goals and earned the captaincy in his first year at Hearts, whom he joined last summer from Belgian club Beerschot.
Shankland’s form at Tynecastle earned him a first Scotland cap for two and a half years in the victory over Spain in March, and he has retained his place in the squad for this month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers away to Norway and at home to Georgia.
“When you get to the end of a season you get the chance to look back and assess it,” Shankland told the Scottish Football Association.
“For me, it was a really strong season. My performances throughout the season were to a really high standard and I was really happy with them.
“The number of goals I managed to chip in with was great. It was my first season at Hearts as well so it was good to get off to a good start. The captaincy was an opportunity that I probably didn’t expect when I first went to Hearts but when it was offered to me I was keen to take on that role.
“I felt it was something that would improve my all-round game, improve me as a person, and I felt I took it in my stride and handled it really well. It’s been a huge learning opportunity for me and hopefully it stands me in good stead for the future.”
Shankland has won five Scotland caps but he admits such a scenario would have been a pipe dream when he found himself without a club and pondering getting a job away from football when he was released by Aberdeen in 2017. He eventually joined Ayr and set about rebuilding his career.
“There’s been a lot of rejections along the way but it comes down to hard work and determination really,” he said, reflecting on his rise. “You have your end goals and what you want to achieve in your career.
“There have been times when I couldn’t have dreamed of getting a Scotland cap. But you just need to knuckle down and if you keep working hard, things pay off and you get these opportunities.
“I’ve taken most of them first time and did well at most of the clubs I’ve been at. It has been a bit of an up-and-down journey but I’ve worked hard and I feel like I deserve what’s come my way.”
The Scotland squad are currently at a training camp in Spain gearing up for their showdown with Norway in Oslo a week on Saturday.
Steve Clarke’s side sit top of their qualifying section after winning their opening two matches and know that a good share of points from their two outings this month will leave them firmly on course for the finals in Germany next summer.
“It’s been good to meet up and get everybody back together,” said Shankland.
“The wee break in between (the end of the club season) gives us a bit of time to do a training camp and I think that’s important for us before we go into the game week next week.
“The training’s been good and the weather’s been nice. The last two games we had really good results and we’ve given ourselves a really good opportunity going into these two games. If we get positive results we could be in a really good position.”
Alex Iacovitti says goodbye to Ross County
Alex Iacovitti has thanked Ross County for “an incredible three years” after his departure from the Staggies was confirmed.
The 25-year-old former Scotland Under-21 defender moved to the Highlands from Oldham in 2020 and made 116 games appearances for the Dingwall club, scoring 12 goals.
Iacovitti is leaving County, who survived in the cinch Premiership following a dramatic play-off victory over Partick Thistle, under freedom of contract.
“Firstly I’d like to place on record my thank you for an incredible three years at the club,” he said in a statement on the Staggies’ website. “I’ve loved my time in the Highlands and was happy to call it home for this period.
“The supporters were excellent throughout my time here and they will always hold a special place in my heart for how they have treated me.
“The players I played with at the club are also a top bunch of lads, unfortunately I was unable to play a part in the play-offs due to an injury I had played through that eventually got the better of me.
“I was absolutely delighted the club secured their Premiership status, where they belong.
“I wanted to thank all of you for your support throughout and wish you all and the club the very best for the future. I’ll be back to watch a game as a County fan in the future!”
County will announce full details of their retained/released list in due course.
One more year – Ben Foster sticking around at Wrexham following promotion
Ben Foster has signed a new one-year contract with Wrexham following their return to the English Football League.
The former England goalkeeper, 40, was tempted out of retirement in March to become a part of co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s ambitious plans to haul the club up the divisions.
He provided one of the National League’s moments of the season with a brilliant stoppage-time penalty save against fellow promotion hopefuls Notts County in April, preserving a 3-2 lead and sending Wrexham top of the table.
Phil Parkinson’s side clinched the title with a game to spare to ensure their 15-year stay in the fifth tier finally came to an end.
Foster, who played in the Premier League for Watford as recently as last year, told the club’s official website: “At the end of last season it was obvious that I enjoyed being at the club, I loved being part of the team and everything that Wrexham stands for.
“The fans took to me so warmly, Phil Parkinson is brilliant, (assistant manager) Steve Parkin is top class, I love (goalkeeping coach) Aidan Davison to bits, and the co-chairmen are out of this world.
“I’d decided before the end of last season I wanted to do it, because it feels like home. I’ve never joined a football club and felt at ease so quickly.”
Foster kept three clean sheets in his eight appearances to win his second trophy for the club, 18 years after lifting the LDV Vans Trophy while on loan from Stoke in 2005.
Parkinson said: “We’re delighted that Ben has signed for the coming season.
“It’s a key signing for us because we all saw the impact he had, not just on the pitch but also around the training ground, and we are all looking forward to working with him again next season.”
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