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Tony Parker wanted to be as respected as Zinedine Zidane in France: "You should put me on the same list"
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- Tony Parker wanted to be as respected as Zinedine Zidane in France: "You should put me on the same list"
After arriving in the NBA as an unheralded, skinny 6-foot-2 point guard from Europe, Tony Parker quickly proved why Gregg Popovich placed so much trust in him. His blinding speed, floor vision, and relentless drives to the basket over towering defenders thrust him into the top tier of NBA stars.
By his sixth season, the French guard was already a three-time NBA champion, a Finals MVP, and a two-time All-Star. His popularity grew day by day, and his relationship with Hollywood star Eva Longoria made him a globally renowned athlete.
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In an interview by InsideHoops right after he won the MVP award, Parker was asked, "Who's more popular now in France, you or Zidane?"
"That's a great question. You should put me on the same list, too." Parker answered . "Zidane is always going to be the man in France because soccer is so popular, but hopefully French people can realize what I just accomplished, three championships in five years, that's not bad."
Zizou completed soccer
Soccer has long reigned over French sports, leaving basketball, tennis and others behind. Zidane, actually 10 years older than Parker, was at that time already an established global star playing for Real Madrid , the biggest sports organization outside of the U.S. borders.
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Even the fact that he had retired a year earlier could not diminish his status as the most recognizable French sports figure, which further illustrates what a holy grail soccer is in the country of the " Les Bleus ".
In his career, amid truly fierce competition, the popular Zizou practically completed soccer: he won the FIFA World Cup and the European Championship with France, was a runner-up once more, and also holds the title of the strongest club competition in the world, the UEFA Champions League.
That is only a part of his rich trophy cabinet, and it should be noted that during his playing career, he also won the Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world in 1998.
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But accolades cannot convey the magic Zidane produced every time he stepped onto a soccer pitch. In his case, you simply had to watch the games to see why so much hype was built up in the first place.
Nobody in France stands on the same mantle as Zidane
Looking at career accolades, it can be said that Parker perhaps caught up to Zidane with four NBA titles and a gold medal for France at EuroBasket, alongside numerous other medals, and although he enjoyed high status in the eyes of the French public, Zizou's aura simply remained untouchable.
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That grand divide between soccer and basketball in France persists even today, perfectly illustrated by the country's modern megastars. Kylian Mbappe , already a FIFA World Cup champion, World Cup all-time top scorer at only 27, and Real Madrid icon, commands over 136 million followers on Instagram alone.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old phenom Victor Wembanyama, who took the NBA by storm with the San Antonio Spurs and already led France to an Olympic silver medal, holds around 6.2 million followers.
As for Parker, he ultimately carved out his own legacy as the pioneer of French basketball, but as he learned back in 2007, nobody in France comes close to Zidane.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Sep 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
