Roy Keane is one of the most distinctive characters in European football. The Corkman made his name at Nottingham Forest before going on to achieve great success at Manchester United, as well as representing Ireland with distinction. The tough-tackling and tenacious central midfielder can point to seven Premier League titles under his belt, as well as one Champions League.
He retired in 2006 after a brief spell with Celtic, afterwards going into management and then punditry. He’s famed for his irascible nature and wry humour, and doesn’t give away praise easily. It means a lot, therefore, that the only player he would have ever have liked to have swapped shirts with was Real Madrid icon Zinedine Zidane.
Keane revealed it during a dog-walk conversation he had with Gary Neville, his teammate at United during that magnificent spell under Sir Alex Ferguson. Keane said the only player he wished he had asked for their shirt was Zidane, who he played against when the Frenchman was with Juventus, Madrid and France.
“After the Madrid game we were walking off together sometimes that just happens,” Keane said. “I was kind of looking at him and he was kind of looking at me, and I was hoping he was going to ask me [laughs]. But we didn’t and I’m glad, although that was the only time where I was thinking will I or won’t I.”
