Zidane helps present new River Plate shirt

Ex-Real Madrid and France player Zinedine Zidane, accompanied by his childhood football hero the Uruguayan Enzo Francescoli, were the two football celebrities that were used to present the new River Plate shirt. The event took place in Buenos Aires. Zidane was representing German sportswear giants Adidas and was delighted that Francescoli would also be present in the presentation of the River shirt.

Both Zidane and Francescoli used to play in the French league at a point in their career, and it was during this time that Zizou built a huge admiration for the Uruguayan. Enzo Francescoli spent a total of four seasons in the French league, playing between 1986 and 1989 for Racing Club Paris, and the 1989-90 season at Olympique Marseille, which are Zinedine Zidane’s favourite team. While Francescoli was playing in the French league, Zinedine Zidane was starting off his career at French club AS Cannes.

So high is Zidane’s admiration for Francescoli, that he named his son after the Uruguayan player, that is, Enzo. Zidane avoided questions that were made in the presentation of the River shirt regarding the infamous headbutt in the 2006 World Cup, after Zidane was provoked by the Italian Marco Materazzi in the Final. Zidane said that in the present football world there are many great football players, unlike the time when he was growing up.