What if: Zinedine Zidane had decided to play for Algeria

#2 Only African to win Ballon d’Or after Weah

The 1998 Ballon d’Or winner

Regardless of the country he played for, Zinedine Zidane would have definitely won the Ballon d’Or for his outstanding quality on the pitch. While it is true that his performances in France’s World Cup winning 1998 campaign shot him towards the award, which he won by a margin of an astonishing 186 points, it would have been almost impossible to overlook a player of his calibre just because of his failure to win a World Cup.

There is always a merit of playing for a non-superpower team. While trophies on an international front is important, his club accolades would have shot him to such glory.

The Ballon d’Or has eluded itself from the African players as the only African to ever have won it was George Weah in 1995. Had Zidane represented the African nation, he would have been the last African player to win the award.