Yet another person touted to be the next Zidane. French teenager Samir Nasri, dubbed “Baby Zizou” netted his maiden international goal to earn Les Bleus a 1-0 home victory over Georgia on June 6.
The Olympique Marseille (OM) midfielder, voted the league’s best young player this season and superb in the 2-0 win over Ukraine, struck in the 33rd-minute. Nasri’s goal, in his third appearance, kept France on top of their Euro 2008 qualifying Group.
The 19-year-old starlet has also been pivotal in helping his club to qualify for the Champions League. Since joining OM in 2004, Nasri has made 58 appearances and has scored 17 times. Viewed as the successor to Zinédine Zidane, Nasri pledged his immediate future to OMe following reports linking him with a move to Arsenal, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Inter were keen on him as a replacement for aging Luis Figo and Real Madrid have been monitoring Nasri’s form this season, that earned him a call up to the French squad in March, and were said to be weighing up a bid. But Nasri said leaving OM would be a huge mistake and has brushed off reports linking him with a move to Italy, Spain or England in the summer.
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