Skip to content

Zidane: My volley against Leverkusen was better than Ronaldo's bicycle kick

Emilio Andreoli / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Cristiano Ronaldo's jaw-dropping bicycle kick may have inspired applause from even staunch Juventus supporters, and while Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was also impressed with his star's acrobatics, he wasn't quick to dismiss his own moments of genius.

When Zidane donned the white of Real Madrid during his playing days, he too scored a memorable goal that has since become one of his most iconic strikes, turning on a pivot and smacking home a volley against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final.

It's a goal that Zidane believes still outranks Ronaldo's effort - and he said as much when asked which of them scored the better goal.

"Oh mine! Definitely mine," Zidane answered, as quoted by BBC Sport.

While Zidane didn't hesitate to defend his personal brilliance, he also had no problem praising the Portuguese superstar for his effort against Juventus, as Ronaldo scored twice in a 3-0 win against the Old Lady in the first leg of this Champions League quarter-final bout.

"Cristiano Ronaldo is different. He's a different player to everyone else and he always has this desire to do something extraordinary in the Champions League. He never rests on his laurels," Zidane said.

"His overhead kick was remarkable, yet he missed two much easier chances. That's football."

Related - Poll: Was Cristiano Ronaldo's bicycle kick the greatest goal in Champions League history?

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox