Football is portrayed as a leveller that reaches children across very different places and circumstances, from Rio de Janeiro and Nairobi to Monaco and Beverly Hills. The sport is described as a pathway for stars to escape humble origins and become heroes on and off the pitch. Debates about the greatest World Cup heroes are said to continue for decades. Before the FIFA World Cup 2026, a list of ten top World Cup figures is introduced. Zinedine Zidane is highlighted as a controversial great who won the 1998 World Cup for France with two goals in the final, later being named player of the tournament in 2006 despite a head butt in the final against Italy. His leadership is credited with shaping France, and his later coaching success is noted. Jimmy Greaves is introduced as another celebrated figure loved by English fans, with international recognition tied to a notable incident involving a pitch-invading dog.
"Having scored 31 goals in 108 matches for France, his talismanic leadership shaped the national team into something much greater than the sum of its parts. As a coach, he went on to win three Champions League titles and La Liga twice with Real Madrid. Thousands of fans lined the streets of Paris chanting Zidane's name when the team returned home."
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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