From the maestro himself! Zidane names the player he dreams of playing with

Zinedine Zidane has handed Rayan Cherki the ultimate compliment, admitting he would have loved to share a pitch with him.

Details: Speaking in a new interview, the France coach could not hide his admiration: "I would have loved to play with a player like Rayan Cherki when I was a player! He finds such incredible passes, and he even knows how to play without the ball. He's a baller, a real baller." High praise from one of the most gifted midfielders the game has ever seen.

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The words carry extra weight right now. Zidane has just begun his era as France coach, and Cherki, the Manchester City playmaker, looks set to be one of its cornerstones, having already said he felt honoured by Zidane's appointment. With Kylian Mbappe sent home from camp after a knee injury suffered in the win over Turkiye, the creative spotlight in this international window could shift straight onto Cherki's shoulders ahead of tonight's clash with Belgium. The mutual admiration between the legend and the artist is becoming one of the feel good stories of the new France.

It's worth noting that when a player of Zidane's genius calls you a real baller, it is more than praise, it is an anointment. Cherki now carries the expectation that comes with it, and tonight in Brussels he gets the perfect stage to show the maestro was right.

Reminder: Blow for Zidane! Mbappé leaves France camp after knee injury