Zidane named England legend best in the world and asked Real Madrid to sign him

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Abstract Actual Madrid's Galácticos coverage started within the 2000s, signing elite superstars for large charges. Zinedine Zidane was one in every of their greatest signings, profitable the Champions League in 2002. The Frenchman requested Actual to signal a legendary England participant to be his companion in midfield. Actual Madrid's superiority was challenged within the early 2000s as Valencia disrupted La Liga's pure order, and Galácticos legend Zinedine Zidane has revealed he requested the signing of an England legend to place Madrid again on their perch.

Zidane and Actual's path to the 2001/02 Champions League closing was one of many nice knockout runs in membership soccer historical past, beating Bayern Munich within the quarter-finals and arch-rivals Barcelona within the final 4, earlier than besting an elite Bayer Leverkusen workforce led by Michael Ballack within the closing.

The French soccer legend scored maybe his most well-known purpose in that closing, volleying dwelling Roberto Carlos' looped cross from the sting of the field to win the match 2-1.

Nonetheless, that triumph was the beginning of considerably of a trophy drought by Madrid's personal lofty requirements. They gained the La Liga title the next yr, however didn't win one other prime flight title till 2007 and needed to wait till 2011 earlier than their subsequent cup win, which was the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona accompanied English and Italian sides in dominating Europe's elite competitors, as Actual president Florentino Perez adopted a coverage of celebrity signings to regain their standing as Kings of the continent.

Madrid's Galácticos 2000-2010

12 months

Payment

From

Luis Figo

2000

€60m

Barcelona

Zinedine Zidane

2001

€73.5m

Juventus

Ronaldo Nazario

2002

€45m

Inter

David Beckham

2003

€37.5m

Man Utd

Michael Owen

2004

€9m

Liverpool

Robinho

2005

€24m

Santos

Sergio Ramos

2005

€27m

Sevilla

Fabio Cannavaro

2006

€10m

Juventus

Ruud van Nistelrooy

2006

€14m

Man Utd

Kaka

2009

€67m

Milan

Karim Benzema

2009

€30m

Lyon

Cristiano Ronaldo

2009

€94m

Man Utd

Xabi Alonso

2009

€35.5m

Liverpool

Perez made a behavior of luring the Premier League's prime skills to the Spanish capital, with Xabi Alonso revealing how Actual tempted him: "I used to be actually pleased with the workforce (Liverpool) and my team-mates and felt that we may do nice issues.

"I used to be glad on that facet however inside a membership you need to see the large image and one other season would have been an excessive amount of for me. It was very troublesome to take that call (to go away) but it surely was most likely for the most effective for me as a result of if I had stayed one other season it will have been uncomfortable for me."

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Nonetheless, not everybody caved to the temptation, with Zidane revealing he particularly requested Perez to signal Steven Gerrard, just for the Liverpool captain to refuse the transfer.

Zidane named Gerrard the 'finest participant on the earth'

Certainly, Actual Madrid tried to signal Gerrard as soon as in 2005 and once more in 2009, probably making him one in every of their greatest signings of the Galácticos period, and Zidane claims it was him who pushed Perez to make the transfer, as he believed the Reds star was the primary participant in world soccer.

"In his prime, Gerrard was the most effective on the earth. I feel it was in the summertime of 2004 once I had a dialog with Florentino (Perez) & advised him that I wished him to be my companion in Madrid’s midfield.

“I do know the membership tried twice, however he didn’t need to depart Liverpool. There aren’t many gamers who reject Actual Madrid, however I feel that claims lots concerning the individual’s loyalty."

Gerrard is broadly thought to be probably the greatest midfielders in Premier League historical past regardless of by no means profitable a league title with Liverpool, whereas his finest end on the Ballon d'Or podium was third in 2005, putting behind Ronaldinho and Frank Lampard.

There is not any doubt the Liverpool celebrity was let down by his teammates within the quest so as to add workforce trophies to his particular person accolades, and one has to marvel how his standing within the sport can be considered if he had joined Madrid at Zidane's request.