“He was class back in his days” - Real Madrid linked Alphonso Davies chooses between Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldinho
Alphonso Davies, who has been linked with a Real Madrid move, made his pick between Los Blancos legend Zinedine Zidane and Barcelona legend Ronaldinho. The Bayern Munich full-back, during a conversation with TSN on YouTube, was asked to compare the two former players.
While he might have some love for Zidane, he went with the Brazilian, saying:
“Ronaldinho was class back in his days man.”
The Barcelona legend was, indeed, class back in his days. After shining in Gremio and a spell at Paris Saint-Germain, he joined Barcelona, where he became one of their most exciting players. He scored 94 goals in a five-season spell at Camp Nou, which saw him lead them to the UEFA Champions League, alongside two consecutive La Liga titles.
Zinedine Zidane ended up at Real Madrid after successful stints in other clubs. He came through the youth team at Cannes, before moving to Bordeaux. He then joined Juventus, where he played for half a decade before moving to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2001. He had a five-year stint with the club, winning the Champions League once.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez on Kylian Mbappe working under Zinedine Zidane as a youngster
Zinedine Zidane notably concluded his playing career at Real Madrid but continued at the Santiago Bernabeu in other capacities. He became a special adviser, sporting director, and then, assistant coach. He also coached the Real Madrid B team, before eventually taking up the mantle as head coach of the first team.
He led them to win three UEFA Champions League trophies in a row, before leaving. While he did have another stint at the club, it was not as successful.
However, Zidane returned to the Santiago Bernabeu more recently to present Kylian Mbappe to 80,000 fans. President Florentino Perez spoke about the two, reminiscing about when Mbappe worked under Zidane as a youngster (via Daily Star):
“12 years ago, Zizou [Zidane] invited a boy to our training ground. He is now the star who will help us to succeed in the future, today we welcome Kylian Mbappe. Welcome to your home and congratulations for achieving your dream. I know this means to you and your family.”
Zinedine Zidane will be one of many Real Madrid legends who will hope that Kylian Mbappe enjoys a successful career at the Santiago Bernabeu.