SUMMARY
- Zizou was known for his late run into the box, which prevented him from getting offside.
- Zidane played 689 matches in his club career for clubs around Europe.
Fewer names in soccer history are bigger than Zinedine Zidane. The French superstar is often regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, as well as the greatest manager of the 21st century. Naturally, there are several incredible facts and figures surrounding the name of the former World Cup winner.
One of the most astonishing facts that always surround Zidane is the fact that the midfielder was never caught offside in his career. This fact raises the eyebrows of the fans, as it is astonishing to discover an attacking midfielder was never caught offside in his career that spanned 18 years. However, the reality is far from the truth.
Zinedine Zidane was offside five times in FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euros
In reality, Zidane was caught offside on multiple occasions for club and country. Opta records revealed that the former French international was offside five times during various FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro competitions. Zidane made 108 appearances for the national team in his career. Five offsides in major tournaments isn’t shocking.
5 – Zinedine Zidane was caught offside five times at World Cup & Euro tournaments, plus numerous times in his club career. Debunked.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 22, 2012
More reports revealed that Zidane was on several occasions during his stint with Juventus and Real Madrid. One notable offside came during an El Clásico in 2005. Another offside came when he was with Juventus and played Manchester United in the UCL in the 1998/99 season.
Zidane played 689 matches in his club career for clubs around Europe. It is impossible for a player like Zidane, who is always around the final third of the pitch, to never be caught offside. Zizou was known for his late run into the box which prevented him from getting offside however, he was caught on the wrong side of the defensive line on several occasions.
How did the rumors start about Zinedine Zidane?
These kinds of fake stats are pretty normal. Zidane is one of the biggest names in soccer and it is easier to generate clicks and views by attaching fake stats around big players. These rumors started shortly after the retirement.
There has been numerous video evidence and debunking tweets online on this however, the rumors grew among the casual fans. In the short attention spans of the soccer fans in the modern age. It is easier to get wrapped up in fake stats. However, a minor effort in the search and digging can always reveal the truth.