Zinédine Zidane’s four-decade career is now documented through his own public declarations in a new 205-page illustrated biography, 100% Zidane
, published by Éditions Solar and retailing for 29,90 euros. The 54-year-old native of Marseille is described across the work through mentions of L’insouciance
, his achievements at the pinnacle of his playing days, a deuxième vie
following his retirement from the pitch, and a career characterized as monumentale !
Authored by Gérard Ejnès and Alexandre Fievée, the volume relies on research tracking the words of the former player and France national team coach, bypassing traditional third-person biographical framing to let Zidane’s voice anchor the narrative.
From La Castellane to Bordeaux
The book traces the trajectory from childhood in La Castellane—where he was called Yazid or Yaz—through his emergence as Zizou in Bordeaux. Before becoming a national hero, he was a young boy of Algerian origin who lived only for football, already competing against older players on the place de la Tartane, in the schoolyard, and on fields around Marseille.
That momentum carried forward to his final match as a player in 2006, concluding on a striking incident that remains permanently recorded in World Cup history.
From the Pitch to the Coaching Dugout
Following his playing days, the narrative follows his transition into management with Real Madrid, a role he stepped into in 2016 despite doubts regarding his chances of success. In the Spanish capital, he secured three UEFA Champions League titles before eventually taking charge of Les Bleus.
Throughout these chapters, the documentation spans his upbringing on the place de la Tartane, his playing career, and his tenure in the coaching dugout.
New Photographs Complement the Biographical Text
Complementing the biographical text, the volume features numerous photographs. Many of these images are published here for the first time, offering visual accompaniment to his spoken record.
Zidane Pursues High Pitch Tactics for France
The release coincides with broader discussions surrounding the French national team’s tactical identity under Zidane, debated alongside figures such as Jean-Philippe Bouchard, Dominique Sévérac, and Hervé Penot.
Worth a look
