(No - this isn't me. )
Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:53 pm EST
No kidding, the next Zidane?
By Martin Rogers
Haven't heard of Madin Mohammed yet? You should have. He is the player being touted as soccer's next megastar, the new Zinedine Zidane, with a spectacular set of skills seemingly destined to propel him to greatness. Chelsea and Real Madrid have both got him on their radar and several other big clubs are due to join to race to sign him. But don't expect to see Mohammed gracing an English Premier League or Spanish La Liga stadium just yet.
Because he is six years old.
In the latest example of the extreme lengths to which the worldwide scouting system has developed, the French youngster has been thrust into the spotlight and tipped for success before he has even mastered the alphabet. The comparisons to Zidane are due to Mohammed's Algerian heritage, having moved to France from the North African country as a 3-year-old. Footage of his precocious talent has appeared on French television, displaying a remarkable array of tricks and flicks.
Soccer has seen plenty of child prodigies in the past, and most of them have fallen by the wayside. The glare of the spotlight at such a young age is devilishly difficult to cope with and, unless young Madin is well-protected by his family and the French national federation, his chances of even reaching the professional ranks are remote.
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