What are the best Zinedine Zidane rookie cards?
Zinedine Zidane was one of the greatest players of all-time, and was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003, along with winning the 1998 Ballon d’Or as he led France to victory in the World Cup.
After moving into management with Real Madrid, Zidane famously became the first coach to win the Champions League three times consecutively (2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18).
A legendary player who also happens to be a supremely talented coach, we’ve taken the opportunity to look at the best Zinedine Zidane rookie cards available on the market.
The Best Zinedine Zidane Rookie Cards
Zidane began his professional career with Cannes in the French first division, before earning a move to Bordeaux in the 1992–93 season.
3. 1992 Panini U.N.F.P Foot Ligue 1 Zinedine Zidane RC #261 (eBay)
The first card to make the list is from the 1992 Panini UNFP set, featuring a solid action shot of a young Zidane as he glides along the pitch with the ball at his feet.
(The ‘Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionels’ is the main trade union for French professional football players.)
A black, white and blue border helps it to stand out, while there’s a France flag in the top left corner.
With only 12 PSA 9 copies and a trio of 10’s, it’s tough to find exceptional graded copies on the resale market.
2. 1994 Panini Football Zinedine Zidane RC #34 (eBay)
By 1994, Zidane had established himself as one of the top players within Ligue 1, and went on to win the 1995 Intertoto Cup with Bordeaux.
This rookie sticker features the player in a simple profile shot, looking impossibly young while surrounded by a lime green background.
(Aesthetically, it’s strange to see Zidane with a full head of hair, never mind a high top, but that’s one of the perks of looking at earlier options.)
Once again, it’s tough to find pristine versions, especially as it’s a lightweight sticker that is over 25 years old.
1. 1991 Panini Foot ’92 Soccer Zinedine Zidane RC #43 (eBay)
Similar in many respects to the previous option, the 1991 Panini Foot sticker set features a profile shot of Zidane, this time when he was still playing for Cannes.
It’s easy to see the raw aggression that helped to fuel his route to success, with a simple background showing off seating in the stadium.
The yellow border makes it almost impossible to locate if you’re looking for higher grades, as they highlight any damage that might have accrued over the past 30 years.
A mix of age and rarity means that it takes the top spot on our list of the best Zinedine Zidane rookie cards.
Zinedine Zidane Cards: Buyers Guide
Zidane has proved to be a master in two disciplines, but do we think that his cards are worth the significant outlay?
We’d look out for anything showing off the midfielder in a France kit, whether it be 2002 or 2006.
The 1991 Panini Foot sticker is by far the best collectible of the trio. It was the first to be released, it shows Zidane when he played for Cannes, and it’s tough to find at higher grades.
You can’t say fairer than that, making for an expensive collectible even if there were no parallels or autos back in the early 1990’s.
Final Thoughts
In the grand scheme of things, it’s hard to do better than Zinedine Zidane if you’re looking at the best ever football cards. Zizou won everything at club level, and then went on to have unparalleled success along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid as a coach.
At 31, I can remember Zidane winning the World Cup in 1998, although many fans will have missed out on watching Zizou in his prime, if at all.
Rather than being just another FIFA legend, anyone with an interest in the sport over the past five years is likely to have an idea of his impact on the game, and there’s still a chance to see him work his magic if and when he returns to club football.
If he wins more UCL titles, or even a World Cup with France as the coach, it’ll surely make him one of the most influential European footballers of all-time. Of course, it would also cause the prices of his cards to rise, which is why Zizou is such an interesting prospect for collectors.
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