Zinedine Zidane Reveals the Story Behind Choosing Jersey No. 5 at Real Madrid

Zidane no 5

When Zinedine Zidane made his highly anticipated move to Real Madrid in 2001, fans were surprised to see the French legend opt for the no. 5 jersey at the Bernabeu, a departure from the no. 21 he wore at Juventus. In an exclusive interview with Adidas, Zidane shed light on the story behind this unexpected change.

https://twitter.com/relevo/status/1722697865917522062

Zidane explained that Real Madrid’s president at the time, Florentino Perez, was not a fan of larger jersey numbers. According to Zidane, Perez remarked, “’20, 30 – that’s not football, that’s American football.’ I said, ‘Alright, I’ll take the five then.'”

Taking over the iconic no. 5 jersey from Manolo Sanchis, who had defended the club colors for 18 years, Zidane instantly made the number his own and added to its legacy. The no. 5 became synonymous with Zidane’s grace, skill, and influence on the pitch during his time at Real Madrid.