Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane has confessed to Lionel Messi that he wishes he had played alongside the Barcelona maestro.
Zidane encountered Messi only once during his illustrious playing career, and he witnessed firsthand the skills possessed by the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner. The French football icon found himself on the losing side of Madrid's 3-0 defeat to Barcelona in La Liga back in 2005, with Messi providing an assist.
Unfortunately, these two footballing greats never had the chance to share the field as teammates. Zidane has acknowledged that he would have relished the opportunity to play alongside the Inter Miami superstar.
In an interview released by Adidas, the duo engaged in a captivating conversation, covering various topics. 'Zizou' had the chance to pass the ball to Lionel Messi, expressing his admiration for the Argentine legend.
"A little bit of magic over there. Because, you know it's a pity that we couldn't play together. But well, this is the moment for me to pass you the ball."
Meanwhile, the role of wearing the No.10 shirt often involves a player operating in the space between midfield and the frontline. Throughout history, legendary players such as Pele, Diego Maradona, and Michel Platini have been synonymous with this position.
However, the significance of the No.10 position seems to have diminished over the years with the evolution of new tactics. Messi and Zidane both concurred that this change is largely due to teams frequently adopting a 4-3-3 formation.
"Today, the number 10 is not as important as it used to be. Just like you were saying. The truth is that the number 10, it's place, the position (is lost). If you play 4-3-3, 4-4-2, the 10 is lost you know?"
Messi shared his perspective on the diminishing importance of the position, noting that teams now often employ inside forwards rather than traditional number 10s.
"Yes, there aren't any more left. It doesn't have the position it used to have that showed it was the leader, the midfielder, the link player, as we used to call it. Today there are teams that play 4-3-3 and they are more inside players than 10. It's true that there are only a few 10s left."
Zinedine Zidane promptly responded:
"Well, thank goodness you still play and that the 10 still exists."
Zidane and Messi will be remembered as two of the finest players to have graced the football pitch. The French maestro showcased his exceptional ball control, vision, and technique, creating magic on the field. He featured in 227 games for Real Madrid, scoring 49 goals and delivering 68 assists. The former Juventus star claimed the Ballon d'Or in 1998 and secured six significant trophies during his tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu.
On the other hand, Lionel Messi continues to solidify his status as arguably the greatest player in football history. The Argentine maestro left an indelible mark during his tenure at Barcelona, scoring 672 goals and providing 303 assists in 778 appearances. The 36-year-old recently clinched his eighth Ballon d'Or, extending his record, following Argentina's triumph in the 2022 World Cup.
