07/07/2026
ZINEDINE ZIDANE ON CRISTIANO RONALDOâS TEARS AFTER THE FINAL WHISTLE:
âI was honestly heartbroken seeing him break down like that after the final whistle.
At that moment, it wasnât just about Cristiano anymore. It was about his country.
How many people love their country so much that they keep fighting until 41, just to try and bring home the biggest trophy in football? Even if, in the end, he couldnât make it happen.â
âBut no matter what he does, there will always be people looking for a reason to criticise him.
I just hope Cristiano knows this: winning the World Cup is massive, but it is not the only thing that defines a playerâs greatness.â
âWhat he has done in this sport is bigger than one trophy.
The records, the consistency, the mentality, the hunger to keep going for more than two decades⊠football may never see that again.â
âI was lucky enough to win the World Cup, but I can honestly say I never reached the level of consistency and longevity Cristiano has shown throughout his career.
Very few players ever touch that kind of level.â
âYears from now, people wonât only remember Cristiano for the trophies he won, or the one he never got.
They will remember him because he changed the standard of greatness.â
âFor me, Cristiano will always be remembered as one of the greatest footballers in history.
And nothing that happened today can ever change that.â
ZINEDINE ZIDANE Ă PROPOS DES LARMES DE CRISTIANO RONALDO APRĂS LE COUP DE SIFFLET FINAL :
« HonnĂȘtement, ça mâa brisĂ© le cĆur de le voir sâeffondrer comme ça aprĂšs le coup de sifflet final.
Ă ce moment-lĂ , il ne sâagissait plus seulement de Cristiano. Il sâagissait de son pays.
Combien de personnes aiment leur pays au point de continuer Ă se battre jusquâĂ 41 ans, juste pour tenter de ramener chez eux le plus grand trophĂ©e du football ? MĂȘme si, au final, il nâa pas rĂ©ussi Ă y parvenir. »
« Mais quoi quâil fasse, il y aura toujours des gens pour chercher une raison de le critiquer.
JâespĂšre simplement que Cristiano en est conscient : remporter la Coupe du monde, câest Ă©norme, mais ce nâest pas la seule chose qui dĂ©finit la grandeur dâun joueur. »
« Ce quâil a accompli dans ce sport dĂ©passe largement un simple trophĂ©e.
Les records, la rĂ©gularitĂ©, la mentalitĂ©, cette soif de continuer pendant plus de deux dĂ©cennies⊠le football ne reverra peut-ĂȘtre jamais cela. »
« Jâai eu la chance de remporter la Coupe du monde, mais je peux honnĂȘtement dire que je nâai jamais atteint le niveau de rĂ©gularitĂ© et de longĂ©vitĂ© dont Cristiano a fait preuve tout au long de sa carriĂšre.
TrÚs peu de joueurs atteignent un tel niveau. »
« Dans quelques annĂ©es, on ne se souviendra pas seulement de Cristiano pour les trophĂ©es quâil a remportĂ©s, ou pour celui quâil nâa jamais obtenu.
On se souviendra de lui parce quâil a redĂ©fini la norme de lâexcellence. »
« Pour moi, Cristiano restera Ă jamais dans les mĂ©moires comme lâun des plus grands footballeurs de lâhistoire.
Et rien de ce qui sâest passĂ© aujourdâhui ne pourra jamais changer cela. »
