Zidane in Italy: from the best player to ruthless criticism

Zinédine Zidane arrives at Juventus in the summer of 1996 with the status of best player in the French Championship. His first weeks in Turin are however so difficult that the Italian press quickly becomes ruthless with the future Ballon d’Or. The Frenchman then comes out of a disappointing Euro, played a few weeks after a car accident.

In Italy, doubts quickly concern his influence, but above all his physical condition. Zidane discovers training sessions much more intense than those he was used to in Bordeaux. La Repubblica describes him as “a cross country runner lost in the middle of a team of sprinters”.

This formula is particularly cruel for a player nevertheless recognized for his elegance. Exhausted by Juventus’ sessions, Zidane understands that his talent will not be enough to impose himself. Before signing, he had actually called Didier Deschamps to inquire about the club’s physical methods.

Despite this warning, he must learn to suffer, repeat the efforts and gain power, speed and endurance. Paolo Montero will later say that Juve players had to operate “at 130 %, not just at 100 %”. Zidane turned this humiliation into strength.

Physical transformation and recognition

The Frenchman did not limit himself to answering the criticism with his technique. He reshaped his body and developed a new work culture. Five years later, when he leaves Turin for Real Madrid, the Italians no longer see a physically outmatched player, but a complete champion. This humiliating description ultimately sums up the magnitude of the journey: Zidane became a legend precisely because he accepted to correct what was threatening to make him fail.