If his soccer team, Real Madrid, logically supports the Spanish candidacy, there is no doubt as to Zinédine Zidane’s convictions: "Individually, and also because I am French, it is obvious that I am backing Paris".

 

The 1998 World Champion expressed his support for the French candidacy during the visit to Madrid of Thierry Rey, Paris 2012 representative and Olympic Judo champion, Jérôme Lenfant, Director of Media Relations, and Hassia El Hannouni, four-times Athletics Gold medallist at the Athens 2004 Paralympics.

 

After receiving the Candidature File on behalf of the Paris 2012 Bid Committee, Zinédine Zidane declared his complete availability to help Paris 2012 succeed: "It was important for me to be here today.  And if tomorrow I need to do something else, I will".

 

Outlining the advantages of the Parisian candidacy, including the proximity of the competition sites or the security, the former international player spoke about the Stade de France® and his hope to see it live "a new adventure".  The champion even revealed one of his Olympic dreams: to spend a night in the Olympic Village in 2012…