How to describe an elegant man with a unique ability to control the ball with a single movement? We lack adjectives to describe the elegance of Zinedine Zidane's game. Of course, sometimes he lost his temper. Let's start this story by the end.

After 18 years of career he announced that he stopped playing professionally after the World Cup 2006 final in Germany; but ... he went ahead a few hours. On July 9, 2006, a header to Marco Materazzi was Zizou's last action on a field, of course it was not the only blemish on his great resume. But these facts were not going to tarnish all the other great moments that this character gave us throughout his career.

Now, let's start as we should. Back in 1988 he began his career in Cannes. This little boy who still had hair, began to tell everyone "here I am, my name is Zinedine Zidane". He spent 4 years in Cannes and after 71 games and 10 goals he decided to take the step to a team with more significance. He moved to Bordeaux, where he was going to get his first title. Yes, he won an Intertoto Cup. For the fans of the numbers will be the 170 games and 34 goals scored in the Bordeaux that were used to make the jump to football in the big leagues. It was the turn of the Vecchia Signora.

1996 was the year of Zidane's arrival at Juventus where he would win international titles: an Intercontinental Cup, a European Super Cup, another Intertoto Cup; and also local titles: two Scudettos and one Italian Super Cup. His name began to appear in the mouths of all football lovers, his moves to have a signature of his own, his goals began to be seen in all the televisions of the world and that number '21' that he wore in Juve was the most wanted shirt in all sports stores. He just lacked a great performance so that he would begin to consider himself the best.

There was no better time and place, a World Cup played in his country. France 1998 was the cherry on the cake for this football magician. The '10' of the French team was very important throughout the World Cup, but failed to score goals during the tournament. But when he was most needed, he appeared. Two goals and an unforgettable performance that will remain in history in the final against Brazil to give France its first World Cup, crowned as a national hero.

He was considered by the critics, by the coaches, by the players, by the journalists and by all as the best player in the world. He also won the Golden Ball and the FIFA World Player as the best player of the year. Now, yes, Zidane was Zidane. And he showed it again very soon, at Euro 2000 where France won the title. But let's go back to the clubs.

After 5 years in Juventus and with 207 games and 30 goals; Real Madrid of the Galacticos needed its main star. 76 million euros paid the white club to stay with "Zizou", being at the time the most expensive transfer in the history of football. Now with the '5' in the back, Zidane was looking for something that had been denied: the Champions League. And it did not take long since in his first season he was going to get a goal again in a final. A goal that will remain in the history of the club, the Champions and football. More than a goal, it was a work of art.

Then came a European Super Cup, another Intercontinental Cup, two Super Cups of Spain, a League and many individual awards that distinguished them as the best in the world. Those were the titles of Zidane in Real Madrid, which soon took the Frenchman to the top of the white institution being one of the biggest idols of the Spanish club.

But the career of this great player, as we said at the beginning, did not end with a club. No, it was with his France National team and in a World Cup. Germany 2006 was the last great tournament of Zinedine, where he played and showed why he was considered the best player of that world. He had scored two goals on the way to the final, he was the great figure of his team. He came the decisive game and even was encouraged to shoot a "Panenka" penalty against nothing more and nothing less than Gianluigi Buffon, being one of the few players to score in two World Cup finals. Of course we already know the end.

But since this magician does not deserve to end up with a stain, this story goes like this: Thank you teacher, so much football.