Zinedine Zidane claimed he’d ‘never heard of Tottenham’ ten years ago… now his Real Madrid side are being thrashed by them
Old message emerges from Zizzou's past - one he'll certainly regret
ZINEDINE ZIDANE'S words came back to haunt him the day after Halloween.
Quotes have emerged from 2008 - when the now Real Madrid manager claimed he had "never heard of Tottenham".
After Wednesday night's 3-1 thrashing by Spurs, Zidane certainly will have heard of them now.
The Premier League side dominated the defending European champions from start to finish at Wembley - with the Spanish press calling the performance 'a nightmare'.
Dele Alli scored twice and Christian Eriksen scored another to send Mauricio Pochettino's team into the knockout stages.
And today, an old press conference of Zizzou has emerged on social media.
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Back in his playing days, there was a long-held myth that the French World Cup winner had been rejected in the mid-90s after a trial in north London.
Zidane started his glittering career at Cannes, before moving to Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid.
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But Igal Yawetz, a former director at White Hart Lane, is the man behind claims that Spurs missed out on the chance to sign the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner.
According to a story in the Daily Telegraph in 2001, then-manager Gerry Francis had the chance to sign Zidane - as well as Bordeaux team-mate Christophe Dugarry - for a combined £1.5m.
But, according to Yawetz, Francis rejected the chance to sign Zidane... as he was "too wooden".
Not the mullet-haired former manager's finest hour if true.
The myth had gathered enough steam for Zidane to be asked about the link during an interview in 2008.
He was asked about the trail but looking "baffled" he said: "Who?"
His translator then apologised and said: "I don't think he has heard of Tottenham Hotspur."
Zidane certainly has now.
