Zinedine Zidane surprised football fans by sharing his honest thoughts about the players who moved him the most when watching them play. Notably, the list did not include Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo – two names considered the pinnacle of modern football.

Since moving into coaching, Zidane has only worked at Real Madrid, where he spent two spells leading the team and winning three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018. Notably, he directly coached Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the 2017 Ballon d’Or under Zidane.

However, in an interview with the Téléfoot program (France) in June 2023, Zidane attracted attention when he did not mention CR7 or Messi when asked about the players who made him “jump out of his chair” every time he watched.

“If there is someone who makes me jump out of my chair, it is Karim Benzema and maybe Luka Modric. They are the ones who seem to lose the ball and then miraculously get out. They drive me crazy in a very special way, they are players who can make the difference for any team,” Zidane shared.

At the time Zidane made his comments, Karim Benzema was the reigning Ballon d’Or winner (2022) and had just left Real Madrid to join Al Ittihad, among a wave of big stars moving to the Saudi Pro League that summer.

Now 37, Benzema has maintained his impressive form, scoring 16 goals in 22 matches in the Saudi Arabian Premier League this season. His contract with Al Ittihad runs until the summer of 2026, and his return to Europe is unlikely to be a big one.

As for Luka Modric, the Croatian midfielder is still playing for Real Madrid despite turning 39. Although his role in the squad has been gradually reduced in recent seasons, according to Relevo, Modric still wants to continue wearing the “White Vulture” shirt at least until he turns 40.

He is also said to be willing to renew his contract every year, in line with Real Madrid’s policy for players over 30 years old.