„I
have flaws but I have never jumped through hoops”
ZINÉDINE ZIDANE Exclusively for Bunte the successful soccer hero draws a
balance of his life.
Translated by magician10
He hops into the bar of the “Santo Mauro” hotel in Madrid. Jeans, open jacket,
glowing eyes. With his open smile Zinédine Zidane, 35, appears to be congenial
in an almost magical way. It’s hard to believe that this man can lose his
temper, like he did during the fateful match against Italy in the 2006 World
Cup. For headbutting Marco Materazzi, 34, he saw a red card and became the
tragic hero of the World Cup. This didn’t do his image any harm. Quite the
contrary: Zidane, who had already won the World Cup with the French national
team against Brazil in 1998, became the most celebrated soccer star ever. He
rarely gives Interviews. For being allowed to do one shortly before the European
championship we have to thank the IWC boss Georg Kern. Zidane is ambassador of
the Swiss watch brand.
Bunte: You’ve just returned from Brazil. What were you doing there?
Zinédine Zidane: We christened soccer pitches in the slums, which are called
Favelas. Until the World Cup 2012 more are set to follow. It touches me when
people walk up to me and say: “It’s a gift for us, that you travelled here just
for this.” This encourages me to do even more. I often wonder if I had been as
excited if a famous person had visited my quarter when I was a kid. Of course it
would’ve been great! This is why I do this – I would do everything for children!
B: Which trophy does mean the most to you?
ZZ: Well, on the one hand there are the trophies that you win as a team. It has
always been my dream to win the World Cup. We set ourselves the goal to win the
WC in France. These were great emotions. And then there are the awards you win
as a player. Here the Golden Ball, that I got awarded with by the sports
journalists, is worth the most to me. It blew me away to be called the best
player of the world. Apart from that I got voted Footballer of the year by the
coaches three times.
B: Did success change you?
ZZ: That only happens if you don’t have steady surroundings, especially in
moments of great success, when you think that you are the greatest and that
nothing could happen to you. I have a wonderful life, but I’ve always been aware
that it could be over any moment. It helped me that I have always seen myself as
a normal human being. Even though I was more successful in soccer than many
others, I always stayed with my feet firmly on the ground – also thanks to my
family. An important backing has always been that I could come home and lead a
balanced private life.
B: Would you be happy if your four sons became soccer players?
ZZ: Of course, that would be great!
B: Did they inherit your talent?
ZZ: They love soccer, they live for the game. At their age I was the same. Of
course I would never put them under pressure, but I will always support them
like every father should.
B: When you became a professional you were barely older than they are now.
ZZ: My oldest is 13. I was 14 when I left home.
B: What memories do you have of that?
ZZ: Mixed feelings, because it’s of course difficult to leave home that early. I
was still very young and I missed my family a lot. Sometimes I was so sad that I
locked myself into my room and cried. It wasn’t possible to phone – the next
phone box was a kilometer away.
B: Did this early experience teach you discipline?
ZZ: It was good for my character because I had to learn fast. From the age of 15
I lived in a boarding school for soccer players, where I had to wash and iron my
clothes myself. I had to stand on my own feet very early, and that was a good
experience. This is also what I tell my children today.
B: You didn’t have a normal childhood after you had been discovered.
ZZ: My school career wasn’t like my parents had wished it to be. This is why I
saw soccer as my big chance. I still remember exactly how I played at Cannes
from the age of 14 to 18 and others my age already had girlfriends. And all that
in Cannes with the sun and the beach! In the lunch break I relaxed instead of
going to the beach like the other young people. I had to be fit for the training
in the afternoon. Yes, I probably didn’t fully live my youth.
B: No wine, cigarettes or other guilty pleasures?
ZZ: No, never. Today’s youth does everything earlier. I do everything in my
power to show my boys what’s good and what’s bad. Exactly like my father has
always done. My father came from a poor background, he was a simple workman. He
has worked his entire life. He had values that he passed on to me. I often
visited him at work. That’s one of the reasons why I never forgot how to treat
people. My father was also respected by the people that stood above him. I’m
proud of that.
B: The happiest moment of your career?
ZZ: When we became world champions. Especially the moment we climbed the stairs
to the tribune to receive the cup. The audience was cheering. That’s also where
the player’s wives and families sat. My oldest son was also there, he was three
years old back then. He had overslept the first half but during the second he
was awake. He was overjoyed. Our eyes met for a second and I saw that he was
crying of joy that we won. This touched me so much that I almost burst out into
tears myself. But I could contain myself.
B: And what was the most difficult moment of your career?
ZZ: At the very beginning of my career we were relegated from the first division
with AS Cannes. I was awfully disappointed because I had just started as a
professional. At this age you don’t know yet how to handle defeats. I thought
that was the end of my career – and I had wanted to become world champion.
B: Do you cry sometimes?
ZZ: It’s human and it can be beneficial. But to each their own. I don’t like to
show my feelings in public.
B: You are known to be a fighter.
ZZ: Without a goal you never become World Champion, that’s my message. If you
don’t fight, you give up, you become weak. Too much self-consciousness can cost
careers. I have always known I could reach something extraordinary.
B: How do you stay in shape?
ZZ: I work out regulary, I go for a jog every day or go to the gym.
B: You have very beautiful eyes…
ZZ: Those I inherited from my mother. She has even brighter eyes than me. And I
got my height from my dad.
B: With your looks you could be in the movies…
ZZ: I already had offers. A tiny role in the latest Asterix movie. But to each
their own. Besides, my wife doesn’t want it. She said that I shouldn’t cherish
an illusion! She said: “O la la, an actor – no! If you have to kiss someone and
stuff…”
B: That proves that she loves you very much.
ZZ: Yes, she loves me a lot.
B: Is your wife jealous?
ZZ: A lot! But she can deal with it very well.
B: Are you jealous?
ZZ: Yes, a lot. I think that’s a good sign, it’s a sign for a close bond.
B: And your recipe for happiness?
ZZ: The most important thing is to be as honest as possible. That also goes for
my wife. I will never forget everything she has done for me, because for 17
years I have rarely been there for her. Today I try to catch up on the things I
couldn’t do before. For instance vacations with her and the children.
B: You married early. Has this saved you from temptations?
ZZ: This has surely kept me from doing stupidities – to be famous, to have
beautiful girls around and that at 20. Not because I was exceptionally handsome,
just because I was wearing a nice jersey.
B: Do you still receive letters?
ZZ: It doesn’t stop! Marriage proposals and a ton of other things. If I told you
what kinds of things get sent to me…
B: Do have a character trait that you don’t like?
ZZ: Yes, I am a bit too sensitive. There are moments where I can’t bear things
that are said to me. This can get quite difficult at home. Not so often in
public.
B: If this is your only flaw…
ZZ: I got others, don’t worry!B: Is there something you would never do,
something that’s taboo?
ZZ: Yes, to strip off for a photographer. Or even pose in underwear. Never.
B: You said goodbye to soccer two years ago. Was it thought out well?
ZZ: That wasn’t a spontaneous decision. And I didn’t do it out of
disappointment, either. We hadn’t won something with Madrid for two, three
years. I could’ve played for another club. At the same time I told myself: “I
play for one of the best clubs in the world and under no circumstances will I
play for a less important club.” I have always told myself that I would stop
playing after the World Cup in Germany. The World Cup went well, it was well
organized. And I had the luck to play in an amazing team. Of course it was
difficult to stop under the circumstances I did, but that’s how it was. And if I
draw a balance I think of my career as a whole, not of this one last incident.
B: What do you say about the incident?
ZZ: I rather forget it.
B: Your plans for the future besides your charities? Would you be interested in
becoming manager of a club?
ZZ: Later maybe. I still have time. I however don’t want to become a coach. I
like to take care of structures and young people. At any rate I want to stay in
soccer. That’s where I am well versed in.
B: In the style of Beckenbauer?
ZZ: I would’ve never dared saying that! He leads a wonderful life. He always
knew what he wanted. He has slowly developed things like he wanted them to be.
And because he knows soccer so well, he became what he is today.
B: Your favorite to win the Euros?
ZZ: It’s impossible to name a favorite among all the great teams that will
compete. It will be very suspenseful for sure.
B: Will you present on TV?
ZZ: Something in that direction for sure. Not least to stay up to date. After I
stopped playing soccer I didn’t feel like even looking at a soccer ball for
about a year. I had to step back from it. This step was good for me. And now I
am again interested in what was and is my passion.
B: Are there offers to play again? Like Beckham in the US?
ZZ: Yes, there were. It would’ve been good, also for my English. They came from
New York, Chicago, Washington, but the children are so happy in Madrid.
B: No club could’ve lured you?
ZZ: No – and money plays no role in it by the way. It doesn’t matter if you play
here or there, you always make more than enough money anyway. It was always my
goal to develop. During my career there was a static development: Bordeaux,
Juventus Turin, Real Madrid. When I received the offer from Real Madrid I
thought: That’s it, I play for the best club in the world now. The president
Florentino Perez told me that he would’ve paid more if it had been necessary.
Thereby the transfer fee equaled the worth of a small Airbus.
B: Your concept for a better world?
ZZ: I think everybody should do everything in his power to make the world a
better place. Each person can contribute something to it.
B: But there are lots of egoistic people.
ZZ: When you have children you are less egoistic because you always have to
share. You also realize that your own strict upbringing by your parents was
right. They always showed us what’s important: that one helps other people, that
one is polite to the teachers in school. All these little things that help you
in daily life. That’s important. My parents were very strict but today I am
thankful for that. I owe it to them that I became like I am today. The education
of my children is very important to me, or you run into danger that they drift
away from you.
B: Would you do something differently?
ZZ: No, I am happy and I have a wonderful family, everybody is healthy. That’s
the most important thing in life. Regarding my career I have never jumped
through hoops and am proud of the outcome.
Picture descriptions:
First picture of him smiling on top: ATTRACTIVE Soccer legend Zinédine Zidane
already had offers to be in movies
The one with Beckenbauer on the right: WORLDFOOTBALLER of the year: Zidane
received the trophy three times as a whole. Here Franz Beckenbauer congratulates
in Zurich.
The one of him playing: A FIGHTER Zidane with Michael Ballack
The quote next to the picture with Veronique: “My wife Veronique was there for
the family for 17 years when I was away. Today I give a lot back to her.”
The picture on top of page 3: HONEST Zidane admits: “Sometimes I sadly am too
sensitive.”
And the one on the right button: INTERVIEW Zinédine Zidane in talks with Bunte-reporter
Marie Waldburg (lucky chick!!) in Madrid.