Close menu

Frank Lampard still England's key player - Zinedine Zidane

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments625

Frank Lampard and Zinedine Zidane

France legend Zinedine Zidane says midfielder Frank Lampard is still England's key player, even at 35.

The Chelsea player is set to win his 100th cap in England's World Cup 2014 qualifier against Ukraine in Kiev.

Zidane told the BBC's Match of the Day Kickabout: "The one that is standing out and is really a leader is Lampard."

England go into Tuesday's game level on points with Montenegro at the top of Group H, and a point ahead of Ukraine, with two matches to play.

The top team will automatically qualify for the finals in Brazil, with the runners-up going into the play-offs.

England finish their qualifying campaign with testing games against Montenegro and Poland, which makes Tuesday's match very important.

Yet 41-year-old Zidane, who is now assistant coach and sporting director at Real Madrid, believes Roy Hodgson's men will make it to Brazil.

"England are going to be there but it's going to be complicated," the three-time world footballer of the year said.

"I am sure they are going to make a great World Cup because they have a strong team and I am sure they are going to do something interesting, but it is going to be tough in Brazil.

"Every team has a chance when they are in the final rounds and England is one of them. England is a great team as a whole."

Zidane won 108 caps for France, scoring 31 goals, and claimed the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 trophies.

During his career, he was named the best player in France's Ligue 1, Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga.

* Zidane was speaking as an ambassador for the Danone Nations Cup World Final for 10- to 12-year-olds.

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

625 comments

  • Comment posted by LargeAl, at 12:03 9 Sep 2013

    I'll take the opinion of a world-class footballer over those of envious know-it-all failures on a BBC website every day.

    Most of those who don't like Lampard do so because they despise Chelsea, hate him for leaving West Ham, wrongly accuse him of being fat - or a combination of all three. Though all have the same characteristic of not knowing what they're on about.

    You stay classy, England fans.

  • Comment posted by FootKnoll, at 12:06 9 Sep 2013

    No 6 PaulMersonsBluePen - obviously you know nothing about football. Look at how many goals Lampard has scored in the last 4 or 5 years. Also good work rate, great touch, great passer of the ball, can defend (not a one trick pony).

    Done it consistently and nothing to prove to anyone - a great pro !!

    P.s I'm not his dad, friend or a Chelsea fan!!

  • Comment posted by U14674612, at 12:10 9 Sep 2013

    I wouldn't say Lampard is 'key' for England, but he is under-rated by alot of people. Out of all the people at Chelsea that other fans seem to have a bad opinion on, Frank Lampard is the least deserving. Congratulations on 100 caps Frank.

  • Comment posted by Spurtle, at 15:27 9 Sep 2013

    218. Danny Boy

    Pele has said Neymar is a better player than Messi. I guess we should all agree with him because he's an all time great and legend of the game right?

  • Comment posted by thouston, at 17:02 9 Sep 2013

    Not a believer in Cleverly.. See him playing for Hull in 2 years time

  • Comment posted by U14644924, at 14:10 9 Sep 2013

    Funny this headline comes about just before 100 caps.Notice also that Zidane actually saying the headline is not referenced at all.All that is quoted is "The one that is standing out and is really a leader is Lampard." which,let's be honest,is probably taken out of context.The headline implies that he and only he is England's key player,but who knows who else he talked about next in the same light

  • Comment posted by U15357596, at 17:20 9 Sep 2013

    No negative headlines, obviously a highly intelligent man, no nonsense player, puts in 100% every time hes on the pitch, just goes about his business and has achieved things we could only dream of

    yet people still slate him.

    even if he could fly people would only have bad things to say about him. this negativity is why England will always fail. try supporting our players for once.

  • Comment posted by An opinion, at 16:45 9 Sep 2013

    Well done to FL he is a model pro.

  • Comment posted by Jeb, at 12:42 9 Sep 2013

    Legend of course but it's so depressing watching England playing these guys still. We haven't got past the QF stage of any international tournament for nearly 20 years... when will we just accept that this generation is not good enough and we need to focus on the future? Get the young ones playing together now and they'll be much better for it in 4+ years time.

  • Comment posted by tea boy, at 17:00 9 Sep 2013

    An article in todays paper on lampard and he picked zidane as the greatest player hes ever played against.while I dont doubt this true the timing of both comments just seems a bit of an arse kissing exercise.Do they share the same sponsors???

  • Comment posted by rambo, at 13:35 9 Sep 2013

    Please can people stop saying Steven Gerard is our best player he's over the hill and over rated. Always looks 4 the long ball and misses 95% of the time. Yes great goal at the weekend but the best is behind him.

  • Comment posted by U15799498, at 20:47 9 Sep 2013

    Gerrard & Lamps both good players as they have proved for their clubs, Gerrard is better technically but Lamps scores more goals (don't quote me on the goals).

    Problem is Eng managers constantly fail to play them in a way that gets the best out of them.

    If they were German for example, they would play in a system and style that suits them, we don't have a system and defo no style :(

  • Comment posted by James_AFC, at 20:34 9 Sep 2013

    421 - In their prime, Scholes and Gerard were a league above Lamps, as is Wilshere - Lampard was not at his class at 16, 18 or 20.

  • Comment posted by U15833567, at 19:15 9 Sep 2013

    I think zidane lost a few brain cells when he head butted that guy

  • Comment posted by U15535025, at 14:32 9 Sep 2013

    To all the Cleverly worshipers

    He he was that good, why has he got zero points in the Sun dreamteam.

    most other midfielders are in the 15/20 & higher points range

    thats the real stat you need to look at, and does his 88% pass ratio mean he's to good for Utd, coz his team mates are obviously letting him down!

  • Comment posted by U15834871, at 13:33 9 Sep 2013

    Surely Heskey is England's key player because he has retired.

  • Comment posted by whatsthemata, at 12:39 9 Sep 2013

    Taking nothing away from Franks fantastic career, I think the fact that he is undoubtedly still one of England's key players says quite a lot about the talent we have coming through.

  • Comment posted by U12376444, at 14:49 10 Sep 2013

    There are'nt many (if any) England players who carry club form into the England games.

    So to turn this article into an anti Gerrard campaign is a bit silly.

    Has joe Hart done himself any favors in the last few England games? when did Rooney last play well in a major competition? and so on.....

    Lampard and Gerrard compliment each other, without one the other couldn't operate as well

  • Comment posted by U12376444, at 11:05 10 Sep 2013

    @571. DaveM
    @570. eddie vedder
    @569. chelskikovites

    And here come the Gerrard trolls.

    You don't like Gerrard because you dont support Liverpool and your ignorance blinds the fact that we are talking about England

    Over 100 caps for England can't be wrong........... but obviously you know better.

    The perfect example of todays loyal England fans.

  • Comment posted by AaronMurphy, at 08:55 10 Sep 2013

    As we can't comment on the 2022 world cup story... SEPP BLATTER YOU UTTER CLOWN!!!!

Top Stories