There's a good chance that your favourite footballer's favourite footballer is Zinedine Zidane. And for good reason too. The Frenchman was grace personified on the football pitch, manipulating the ball effortlessly for the likes of France, Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid.
His dribbling, shooting and passing helped to make him one of the greatest players in football history and also one of the most successful, as he collected multiple pieces of silverware, including the World Cup and Champions League trophy. But, arguably even more importantly, it helped make him one of the most exciting players to watch.
From jaw-dropping strikes to moments of magic, Zidane could get anyone out of their seats. But the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner believes that one current player is capable of something similar.
Zidane's High Praise for Barcelona Star
Zinedine Zidane
At a recent media appearance at the Festival Dello Sport, Zidane was asked to give his thoughts on some of football's current stars who he enjoys watching the most. And while he might have played for their fierce rivals, he named a Barcelona player - Lamine Yamal.
The 18-year-old Spaniard has been on a meteoric rise since breaking through at the Camp Nou as a teenager, going from a relative unknown to one of the best players in the world. Recently awarded the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player in world football, Zidane admitted he loves seeing Yamal in action, while also giving flowers to Paris Saint-Germain duo Vitinha and Joao Neves.
"Regardless of position, one player who excites me when he touches the ball is Lamine Yamal. Against Inter last year in the Champions League at San Siro, he did it all on his own."
Zidane's admiration for the player is long-standing, with him stating back in May this year, following Barcelona's Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan, that he had not seen someone impact a game as much as him. Per Sport, he said: "When you see him play, for example, I don't know, to give an example, the semi-final against Inter Milan. In the second half... I've never seen anything like that in my life.
"Just seeing someone who dominates his game so much on the pitch. It's fabulous to see him like that. So we all have fun, and that's why, for all these young players, Lamine is the one to watch."
Yamal's Father Compared his Son to Zidane
FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates
LaLiga - Rayo Vallecano v FC Barcelona - Campo de Futbol de Vallecas, Madrid, Spain - August 31, 2025 FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
The respect between the two goes both ways, with Yamal including Zidane is his all-time football XI. But within his family, there is an expectation that the young winger can become a similar player to the great Frenchman.
Yamal's father, speaking in November 2024, said that the world had only seen a fraction of the potential that Yamal possesses, adding that he has all the qualities to play out wide or through the middle of the pitch, similarly to Zidane. He said: "I quickly understood that he was a star, that he was not a human being like the others. From a very young age, there was a ball in his stroller.
"I always had faith in him, I kept telling my friends that he was going to become the best player in the world, that he was a pure diamond. He must remain the same, on and off the field, and have fun. Today, he is a man. I told him that the other day and I could not hold back my tears.
"I was not surprised that he was nominated for the Ballon d'Or, you have only seen 20% of what he is capable of doing. For me, he is a number 10, not a winger. He has the skill and the mentality to play in the center, behind the striker, like a Zinedine Zidane. You will see. I rub my hands thinking about the Ballon d'Ors he's going to win."
Although Yamal has enjoyed a blistering start to his career, he has a way to go until he matches the legacy left by the Real Madrid icon. But, considering his achievements to date, you wouldn't bet against him achieving even more.