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French football legend Zidane delights China fans by playing shuttlecock with local aunties

Sporting great shows initial bemusement at popular mainland game; quickly picks it up thanks to sublime footballing skills

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French football legend Zinedine Zidane has captivated mainland social media with videos and photos of him playing a traditional Chinese game of shuttlecock with local residents during a recent visit to Shanghai. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Weibo
Alice Yanin Shanghai

French football legend Zinedine Zidane has delighted Chinese internet users by joining local residents in Shanghai to play shuttlecock in the street.

Videos of Zidane, 53, a newcomer to the sport, played the game skilfully with some middle-aged Shanghai residents, most of whom were middle-aged women who are commonly referred to as “aunties” in mainland China.

Clips of the former star have gone viral on mainland social media, according to a report by Jimu News.

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Zidane, who has been named The Best Fifa Men’s Player three times, came to China in November for a series of commercial events.

Zinedine Zidane quickly picked up the knack of juggling the shuttlecock with his feet. Photo: Weibo
Zinedine Zidane quickly picked up the knack of juggling the shuttlecock with his feet. Photo: Weibo

On the evening of November 30, while he and his entourage passed a small square on the Bund in central Shanghai, they saw people playing shuttlecock.

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