Paul Scholes, Lampard or Gerrard? Zinedine Zidane Names England Legend He Regrets Not Playing With

• French football icon Zinedine Zidane has named which England legend he regrets not playing with
• The former Real Madrid manager waxed lyrical about Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard
• Despite holding all three in high esteem, Zizou didn't hesitate to reveal the player among the aforementioned trio as his biggest regret

Zinedine Zidane is widely celebrated as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

With a career decorated by countless accolades, including the prestigious Ballon d’Or in 1998, the French icon played alongside some of the finest talents for both club and country.

Yet, despite an almost flawless journey in the sport, there remains one unfulfilled desire—an opportunity he wishes he had seized.

While his regret is far from a deep personal sorrow, Zidane acknowledges that not sharing the pitch with a certain player—one he considers the closest thing to a “complete footballer”—leaves a lingering sense of what could have been, as noted by Givemesport.

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Zidane’s admiration for England legends

Over the years, Zidane has openly praised some of the best midfielders of his era, including Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

He once described Gerrard as the best in the world at his peak and labelled Lampard a "leader".

However, no player seems to hold a higher place in Zidane’s admiration than Manchester United legend Paul Scholes.

The Frenchman has frequently spoken of his deep respect for Scholes, often lamenting the fact that they never had the chance to play together.

Zidane reveals player he regrets not playing with

Ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first-ever Mundial held on African soil, Zidane heaped praise on Scholes, emphasising how much he admired the Englishman's style of play.

"It's only natural to want to select your best players, and there is no doubt for me that Paul Scholes is still in a class of his own," Zidane told The Mirror in 2010, as quoted by SportBIBLE.

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"He's almost untouchable in what he does. I never tire of watching him play. You rarely come across the complete footballer, but Scholes is as close to it as you can get."

Expressing his regret at never sharing the field with the Manchester United legend, Zidane admitted it would have been a privilege to play alongside him rather than against him.

"One of my regrets is that the opportunity to play alongside him never presented itself during my career.

"He was an extremely tough opponent to play against. You didn't get any time on the ball when he was around. He would close you down and make your life terribly uncomfortable."

For a player of Zidane's calibre—who graced the sport with unparalleled elegance, vision, and technical brilliance—such words of admiration underline the profound respect he holds for Scholes.

While football is filled with countless "what if" scenarios, Zidane’s unrealised dream of playing alongside Scholes remains one of the sport’s most fascinating untold stories.

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Zidane reveals club he regrets not playing

Similarly, YEN.com.gh revealed that Zinedine Zidane candidly confessed his desire to have played for his hometown club, Olympique de Marseille.

Despite enjoying illustrious careers at Juventus and Real Madrid, the French icon has always held a strong affinity for Marseille.

Source: YEN.com.gh