Two for the price of one

Math is an exact science: one plus one is two, whichever way you look at it. And anyone who has spent time on a football pitch knows how limiting having just one ‘good’ foot can be. Who at one time or another hasn’t found themselves wishing for both the poise, power and precision of Roberto Carlos’ left foot and David Beckham’s right?

The former Argentina midfielder and current coach of Argentinos Juniors, Claudio Borghi, something of an expert in his day at the rabona cross-legged trick, has admitted in previous interviews how restrictive it felt to rely on just one foot: “Doing a rabona isn’t just showboating, nor is it a mark of your quality – it’s simply you admitting loud and clear to anyone watching that your other foot is completely useless.”

This is not, however, a problem that Gallic genius Zinedine Zidane ever had to face in his career, capable as he was of unimaginable exploits with both feet. One such triumph was the goal he scored for Real Madrid in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final versus Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park. His left-footed volley from the edge of the penalty area that soared into the top corner of the German side’s net will remain engraved in the memory of football fans the world over for many years.

Left foot forward
It is remarkable how often naturally right-footed players score outstanding goals with their left. While sporting the colours of Juventus, Zidane provided another unforgettable example of this phenomenon in a match against Reggina, as he skipped past three defenders, surged into the box and dispatched an unstoppable left-footed shot past the opposing goalkeeper.

Of course, fans of the attacking midfielder were already well aware of his prowess in this domain – in his international debut against the Czech Republic in 1994, Zidane unleashed a ferocious bending shot with his ‘wrong’ foot, opening his account for France in the process.