A Name to Remember: Samir Nasri

By: Bob | March 20th, 2007

Now that Zizou has hit the retirement circuit the media’s search for the “Next Zinedine Zidane” has begun in earnest. The current recipient of this label is Samir Nasri, a 19-year-old midfielder for Olympique Marseille. Those in the know about football in France have been raving about the kid for some time. This week he will earn what could be the first of many caps for Les Bleus when they face Lithuania in a Euro 2008 qualifier.

The comparisons to Zidane are obvious. He is a playmaker in the truest sense, possessing an on-the-ball knowledge that belies his age. He was born in Algeria, just like Zizou. He also was raised in Marseille. Just about the only one who doesn’t see the comparison is Nasri himself:

“This comparison with Zidane is annoying,” Nasri said. “It puts a lot of pressure on a young player. When Zidane arrived at Juventus, everybody was drawing comparisons with Michel Platini. Things got better when he understood it was useless to compare yourself with other players. Zidane is unique, so was Platini.”

Since joining Marseille in 2004, Nasri has made 58 appearances and has scored 17 times. How long he will remain with Marseille remains to be seen. His play has attracted the attention of clubs like Arsenal and Inter Milan and there are some who are speculating that he and teammate Franck Ribery could be moving as a package deal after this season. Here is the kid in action.

Category: French Ligue 1, World Football

Tags: a name to remember, Arsenal, French Ligue 1, Inter Milan, Marseille, Olympique Marseille, Samir Nasri, World Football, World Soccer, zinedine zidane

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Comments  

• Laurie |  March 20th, 2007 at 11:39 am

  
  
  

  My Lord, this kid is young. What an adorable baby face. I’m adding him to my “want to adopt” list.

  I’m imagining a France team in five years with Ribery, Nasri, Benzema, Gourcuff, L. Diarra…

  I think I’m hyperventilating.

  Posted from United States

  

• Clint |  March 20th, 2007 at 12:19 pm

  
  
  

  We need a Serbian/Spanish site to promote Bojan! http://www.jadransport.org/players/Krkic-Bojan.html

  Check him out at around 1:15 of this video http://youtube.com/watch?v=tb7HrUMMKbo

  And how much longer before we’re allowed to call 4 year olds “the next ______”?

  Posted from United States

  

• Sam |  March 20th, 2007 at 2:51 pm

  
  
  

  If anything, he’s the ACTUAL next Zizou. Great talent, I saw him play at the Vélodrome twice last year. The one thing I don’t like about the video is that they only show one of his goals. All the other segments are nice plays followed by saves. It’s called cutting it to make him look better!

  Posted from Canada

  

• combat chuck |  March 21st, 2007 at 9:30 am

  
  
  

  I agree with Sam. This clip isn’t very flattering. The only goal they showed was a gimme shot, and the rest of the clip gives you the impression that he has a weak shot (which I’m guessing he doesn’t).

  Posted from France

  

• Sam |  March 21st, 2007 at 3:09 pm

  
  
  

  He scored some real nice ones last season. That video is mostly from the 2004-05 season, when he was 17. Here’s a video from last year, scoring a great goal against Strasbourg.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaJpf-h-XZY

  Posted from Canada

  

• Eli |  May 31st, 2007 at 1:26 pm

  
  
  

  Great talent but wait and see…
  Oh by the way, he is born in Marseille just like zizou not Algeria (he is from algerian descent) dont make a diffrence but must be noted ;))

  Posted from France

  

• Bailey |  January 7th, 2008 at 8:26 am

  
  
  

  JOIN ARSENAL PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Posted from France

  

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