When compiling a list of legendary French sporting figures, locations and events, you’d be hard pressed not to include both Zinedine Zidane and the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in your top five.
One third of the Triple Crown of motorsport — along with the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indy 500 — Le Mans returns for it’s 92nd edition this weekend, as hundreds of drivers and crew members, as well as thousands of fans, prepare for a race like no other in northwestern France.
And Zidane will be there too, with a very special role to play.
Although he played his club football on the southeast and southwestern coasts of the country at Cannes and Bordeaux respectively, Zidane’s performances in the blue shirt of the France national team make him one of the most recognizable sportspeople in the world, and a hero to all in France.
The 51-year-old former midfielder — who won the Champions League four times as both a player and coach, all with Real Madrid, as well as the World Cup with France in 1998 and the Euros two years later — is currently out of work having ended his second managerial spell at Los Blancos in 2021.
The Sporting News explains why Zidane will be waving the flag to start the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2024.
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Why is Zinedine Zidane the honorary starter for 24 Hours of Le Mans?
Sixty-two drivers will be waiting for Zidane to signal the beginning of this year’s race on Saturday, June 15 2024. With three entries also on the reserve list and another two drivers per team waiting in the wings, Zidane’s waving of the green flag begins a non-stop 24-hour race in which all bets are off.
The honorary starter position is one usually filled by a celebrity guest appearance, and while Brad Pitt, Rafael Nadal and last year LeBron James have all waved the flag, a French national icon such as Zidane doing so is bound to get the home support going.
None of Zidane’s 31 international goals for Les Bleus came in the city of Le Mans, but that won’t prevent him from being given a hero’s welcome by an expected crowd of over 100,000 this weekend.
Speaking ahead of the race, he said: “The 24 Hours of Le Mans is beyond compare. It’s an iconic race for anyone who loves motorsport, for people all around the world.
“It’s a source of immense pride for France. To actually be there will be a first for me, and I’m extremely honored to take on the role of starter.”
