- It all happened so quickly. You made it into the national team and, within three years, you won the World Cup at just 20 years old. How did you cope emotionally with all of that?

I think there were two main factors. The main one was the support of my family. My parents’ support was crucial. They gave me a sense of balance that, when you’re 19 or 20, you don’t really think about. You’re driven by the desire to make your mark and pay less attention to those kinds of situations.

Obviously, looking back on it now from a different perspective, I realise that family is the most important thing for a player. It’s a pillar that gives you balance, serenity and a different perspective. Ultimately, emotionally speaking, it was very important.

The second point was my development at Monaco. Completing my training. Back then, the team spirit was important. Communication was much more open. My teammates – not just in training – wanted to make my settling-in easier, with the language, and by being understanding of the fact that I came from a different culture…

So, it was about learning, listening… Monaco gave me that opportunity to grow. It’s a club with a lot of ambition, but it’s still an unusual club in that respect. Life in the Principality of Monaco is very different from day to day. Football, as a result, gives you a sense of calm that you don’t find at other clubs.

So, I grew up striking a very good balance between those two worlds. That’s why the other part didn’t bother me. No sooner said than done, after winning the 1998 World Cup, returning to Monaco brings about a mental shift, because you’re back to normality. Monaco was a club with a capacity of 5,000 or 10,000 spectators, so it takes the adrenaline rush of the World Cup off you. But I felt the need to round off my development.

When I was selected for the ’98 squad, I’d just had a very good season myself. It was six months where I was the second-highest scorer behind (Stéphane) Guivarc’h, with 18 goals in six months… So, I felt I had to finish my own development. That’s why I stayed on at Monaco for another two years and was a regular starter. Then came the European Championship.

In ’98, France was coming off the back of a poor run of form, having been knocked out in ’94 in a result that was heavily criticised, with players and the manager resigning. The ’96 European Championship had also been a disappointment. The atmosphere wasn’t great.

And in the midst of all that, there was a generational change, with the manager (Aimé) Jacquet calling up four or five players aged 18 or 21… That wasn’t the norm in Europe, because if you wanted to play for the national team, you had to be a first-team regular and a goalscorer. That shift was beginning – prioritising the team as a whole, rather than just the football itself.

So, in that squad, we never felt the pressure from those who’d been part of previous, less successful squads. And, well, it was also the strength of the mindset of just playing football and not focusing on other issues.

- What can you tell us about Zinédine Zidane and his influence in the dressing room? What was he like as a leader?

Like any national team, with the ambition to win titles, you’re always on the lookout for a role model. It’s as if you need that image, that kind of player. France was looking to replace Michel Platini, both in terms of footballing ability and emotional impact.

Because of his characteristics, his background and also his cultural significance – because ‘Zizou’ is, after all, a player of Algerian descent. In France at that time, the social climate was very tense, I’d say… There was a certain amount of confrontation.

And well, France focused heavily on this player because, apart from his technique and quality, he also represented social unity. He was aware that he was going to be the star and the linchpin of this generation, with crucial support from the experienced players, who formed the backbone of the team.

I think we all focused on the final, because that ended up being decisive, but during the tournament, after an excellent first match and then the sending-off against Saudi Arabia, he didn’t play in the third match or the round of 16.

But when he returned for the quarter-final against Italy – a classic fixture for us – the team felt that confidence that comes from having such an iconic player.

A bloke who, in the dressing room, always kept his comments to the bare minimum. ‘Zizou’ always had a very low-key profile, I’d say… There were more experienced players whom you might have listened to, but he made up for what he didn’t say with his performance on the pitch.

The strength of the great teams, of the great nations that end up becoming world champions, lies in a combination of these factors. There are leaders, and then there are leaders. I was able to benefit from that for another year because he signed for Juventus. That’s where I really got to experience it on a day-to-day basis. What it takes to be the best, beyond the technical aspects, beyond what comes naturally.

I used the opportunity to see how he trained, what his discipline was like… Copying certain things, adapting them to my own style, to be the best… When you see these guys, to be the best, there are certain different aspects.

You have your own natural talent, but they’re always trying to go beyond that… That’s why, for me, he was a one-of-a-kind role model.

- What did Euro 2000 mean for your professional career?

For me, it was a different competition and, on a personal level, a more difficult one. I’d expected to feature more in this European Championship, as I’d had two good years at Monaco, but due to a coaching decision I ended up spending most of it on the substitutes’ bench.

But I strongly believe in the power of the team. For me personally, that’s ultimately how it turned out. In just a few minutes, that goal ended up being the most significant one for me, both personally and historically. Because it was the goal that secured the title for France and gave them the chance to become the first nation to be both world and European champions.

How a player’s life can change in a matter of seconds, can’t it? So, the idea of training consistently, of supporting the first-team, of being available… With a positive mindset of saying: ‘When my turn comes, I have to make a contribution’. That’s exactly what ended up happening. (Sylvain) Wiltord went through the same thing as me. We both ended up being decisive.

The European Championship was a clear objective: to build on what we’d achieved in ’98. A very solid, winning team, in the thick of it. In fact, the toughest match was that final against Italy, which gave us a hard time both physically and tactically.

It wasn’t a good match. A goal from (Marco) Delvecchio. But we had the intelligence to play in a certain way and, in the end, we managed to equalise with a three-touch goal, which pretty much summed up what we were trying to do, which was total dominance, wasn’t it?

And then, well… I was able to finish off a brilliant move by Robert Pires. Above all else, it’s a fantastic goal because of the moment, because of what it represented… Beyond its significance, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Francesco Toldo, the goalkeeper, and to have him tell me it was an incredible goal.

- Did that Golden Goal change your life?

At that age, no… It was an important goal because it was historic. The real turning point came later, because in 2000, in the semi-final against Portugal, I signed my contract with Juventus. I went from the protection I’d had at Monaco or with the French national team – where the league isn’t as high-profile as the Italian one – to Juventus…

In pre-season, we were training in front of 10,000 people. Out of 30 players, 25 were internationals. A different language. Nobody gave you a free ride. And I arrived with that reputation of having scored that goal against Italy. I had five or six players from that Italian national team as teammates.

So, when I arrived, the fans weren’t very supportive of me at first. And I had to turn that around. My own inner strength and mental resilience meant that, over time, I was able to establish myself in a team featuring strikers like (Alessandro) Del Piero and (Filippo) Inzaghi. They were stars and role models.

Under Carlo Ancelotti, little by little, I was able to find my place and that year I really made my mark. Then, with the arrival of Marcelo Lippi, my major career at the club really took off from around 2002 onwards.

- The missed penalty in the 2006 World Cup final: how did you manage your frustration and move on from that moment?

I’ve always been a big fan of statistics. In Italy, foreign players always managed to make their mark in their first year. The second year is tougher because your opponents already know you.

I grew up with that expectation. I had a good first year, but I really made my mark in my second year, when I finished as the league’s top scorer. That’s when I felt the respect of the Italian players, and of Italian football itself. This helped me realise that, in difficult times, better things are yet to come.

In 2006, we lost the final against Italy. The only penalty I missed was mine. I made the difficult decision to stay at Juventus after we were relegated due to a bureaucratic issue. It meant starting from scratch.

I knew there was the sporting side to it, but also the emotional complexity of how the Italians felt towards me. It was like a kind of taunt at every ground I went to. But that made me even stronger.

I managed to make my mark. Today, the greatest recognition I’ve received in Italy is for having stayed at Juventus whilst playing in Serie B, and for having established my style of play in Italy. Juventus fans hold me in high regard. And at the same time, the rest of Italy recognises what I’ve achieved.

I always say that a great player is revealed in times of difficulty, not when everything is going well. And that’s what, in a way, I achieved… Because with Juventus we were promoted to the top flight and, that season, I finished as the second-highest goalscorer. It took mental strength.

But I have to admit that my mental strength was put to the test when I left Juventus, because when you’re at the top, you have to stay at the top. When you change clubs, the narrative changes, the mindset changes, the objectives change…

- And what broke down when you left Juventus?

When I had to leave, it was a necessity for both of us. I’d achieved all my goals. My final personal goal was to overtake Omar Sívori as Juventus’ all-time top scorer, and that’s exactly what happened that year… And I believe change is necessary.

I didn’t think a player should stay for two or three years. I’d already been there for ten years… I felt the need to step aside for personal reasons. And the club had to let certain players go because it was time for a change.

On a personal level, you might find it hard to take when they tell you you have to leave, but the most important thing is when they tell you to your face. We mustn’t forget that we live that self-centred side of things, which becomes second nature, because you train with the best, because you always want to win… That feeds into your inner self.

So, when these changes happen, you get that initial shock when they tell you you have to leave. And then, you see where you’re going and realise it’s something else, a different situation, a whole new world… So, I always try to ensure that, when you’re at the top, you stay there as long as possible because once changes happen, there’s no going back.

I had that chance because I earned it. You have to go out and seek your own luck. I was passionate about statistics; I’d spend hours in training practising shots with my right foot, with my left… There’s a certain satisfaction, a personal pleasure, in staying on my own to practise my finishing.

- How do you rate France for the upcoming World Cup?

I see this squad as the clear favourites. France come into the tournament on the back of their victory over Russia, their defeat of Qatar and a determination to stay focused on the objective. The objective is to win. Finishing second would be a disappointment.

On top of that, France – in this current generation and previous ones – has players who feature for the very best clubs: Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG… You live a daily reality where winning is the norm, or at the very least, you know that the sole objective is to win.

This carries over to the national team. The course has already been set. So, France has a clear objective: to win. The friendlies against Brazil and Colombia gave them the insight needed to know how to tackle South American sides, who always make life difficult. And well, I think all the pieces are in place.

The manager is a successful one. He’s the only manager to have spent the longest time at World Cups. And as everything comes to an end, this will be his final World Cup. And just as it has been throughout his career, both as a player and as a manager, he wants to win this final title. So, France are serious contenders because of their individual talent, their team spirit and their own ambition.

- How do you see Mbappé in the role of leader?

He’s a player who expresses himself more. He’s a player who has a much more open approach to communication than Zidane did, who was a leader on the pitch.

I’m not familiar with the inner workings of this national team. I don’t know whether Mbappé has to fulfil both roles, on and off the pitch.

I think there’s a very clear hierarchy. France is still a young team. There’s that comparison with Spain, which doesn’t have the experience that France has, but does have quality players.

But Mbappé has proved himself to be a machine. He is the successor to Cristiano Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi because, at 25 or 26, what he has achieved is tremendous, regardless of whether people like his style on or off the pitch. It’s what he conveys…

That said, I think we need to strike a balance in our words and actions, because this is, after all, a team. But I believe that France, with a player of that calibre, can say with confidence: ‘We’re in good shape’. I think that’s important.

- Which other teams do you see as contenders in this World Cup?

I think World Cup winners can’t hide from their history. Argentina, France, Brazil, Germany, Spain… An outsider would be Portugal, who have good players. I think they’re looking good; they’ve got some interesting individuals. Like Vitinha or João Neves, who provide the balance at PSG.

Then there’s the Netherlands, there’s Belgium… We mustn’t forget England. But these are nations which, for one reason or another, at the crucial moment, haven’t been able to win those matches that aren’t decided by technical factors alone. The World Cup isn’t just about the technical side. It’s about a range of situations, about managing matches…

That’s why I think Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, with fewer big names than France – a team more accustomed to winning – knew how to manage their matches. And that’s down to the intelligence of the squad as well. That’s why you also win through quick thinking, personality and nerve…

- Can you imagine another final between Argentina and France?

Anything is possible. I think they have the qualities and the ambition to win the World Cup. That’s why I think it could be a real possibility.

- Any thoughts on Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? What’s your opinion of them?

First and foremost, I think they’re two examples of unique and individual characters. I think they’ll set the bar very high. And I think a high bar is a good thing. And there are players who want to surpass them. That’s the beauty of football.

This new generation – with Mbappé, Haaland and Lamine Yamal – who show you they’re different and are constantly aiming to win, always look to Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi as role models.

I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Lionel. Because of that combination of qualities in a player… The sort you’d pay for a ticket just to go and watch. He’s in a league of his own.

Cristiano is a European archetype, a model professional. I experienced this first-hand whilst serving as a Juventus ambassador for three years. During that time, he scored over 100 goals.

A 100 per cent professional, who’d arrive at training before everyone else and leave after everyone else. The total professionalism a player should have. It’s difficult because, truth be told, he lives for football and his whole environment adapts to his needs.

Messi is a much more natural player, a man of the people… His professionalism is, of course, exemplary. They’re both players who’ve passed the age of 40 and are still at the top of their game.

One has realised his dream, which is to win a World Cup… The other is still chasing it. On a personal level, they want more because they know this is their final tournament.

We have to make the most of this World Cup because it’s going to be the crowning moment for these two players, for Neymar… And the new generation will be joining them. This World Cup brings together the changing of the guard and the sheer spectacle that it represents.