"To be recognised by a whole country is incredible. This is massive"
About this Quote
The simplicity of "incredible" and the blunt, almost adolescent "This is massive" fit a football culture where understatement can be its own kind of swagger. Zidane's persona has always leaned quiet, even opaque; when he breaks that reserve, the language stays plain because the experience is already too large to decorate. There's also an immigrant subtext humming underneath: a French-Algerian kid from Marseille describing national recognition as "incredible" carries the echo of a country that doesn't always agree on who gets to feel French. Being "recognised" isn't just celebrity; it's legitimacy.
Context sharpens it. Zidane became a symbol at the exact moment France wanted symbols that could paper over tensions about identity, class, and belonging. His astonishment reads partly sincere, partly strategic: a way to honor the collective without claiming it. He frames the spotlight as something bestowed, which keeps the hero humble while reminding you the stage is national, not personal. That's how sports mythology works: the star talks like a citizen, and the country hears itself applauding.
Quote Details
| Topic | Pride |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Zidane, Zinedine. (2026, January 16). To be recognised by a whole country is incredible. This is massive. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/to-be-recognised-by-a-whole-country-is-incredible-100274/
Chicago Style
Zidane, Zinedine. "To be recognised by a whole country is incredible. This is massive." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/to-be-recognised-by-a-whole-country-is-incredible-100274/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"To be recognised by a whole country is incredible. This is massive." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/to-be-recognised-by-a-whole-country-is-incredible-100274/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.




