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The Football365 Dictionary: Z Is For...
Zagorakis, Theo
Ex-Leicester City trier, was named player of the tournament in Euro 2004, believe it or not.
Zambernardi, Yannick
Corsican, left-sided, journeyman defender who enjoyed spells at Hibs and Dunfermline, and has yet to play more than 18 games a season in a ten-year career. Has become penpals with Wayne Bridge.
Zamora, Bobby
Poster boy for the Baby Bentley generation, having the five-figure weekly wage packet, the cars, the Page Three girlfriend, the picture of the Page Three girlfriend's Charlies blown up to massive poster-size above his bed, the dimness, the attitude and, crucially, the rather moderate footballing talent.
Zamorano, Ivan
Chilean, Aztec-chief looking striker, famous for wearing number 1+8 at Inter because Ronaldo wouldn't give up the number 9 shirt.
Z-Cars
Theme tune to which Everton run out. Always gave poor old Duncan Disorderly a heart attack, for fear that the bizzies might be onto him again.
Zebroski, Chris
Former Plymouth striker who was sent home from pre-season training in Austria due to 'a fracas' in a restaurant that left his skipper Paul Wotton requiring 100 stitches in his face. Good way for a 19-year-old to get in with the fans' hometown hero and club captain, eh? The club promptly got rid of young Chris, but he managed to get a gig at, you'll never guess...Millwall.
'Ze Incident'
Thing that Arsène Wenger was unable to see.
de Zeeuw, Arjan
Centre half, named in 2005 by then-PM Mr Tony Blairs as the second most underrated player in the Premiership. "He's really strong, never gives up. I could do with him at the whips' office!" said Blairs, before attempting to search the Wigan stopper for WMDs.
Ziege, Christian
Pockmarked full-back, got injured.
Zelem, Peter
First League player for ages and ages to have name beginning with 'Z'. But he began a positive goldrush of omega-namers when he made his debut in 1980. By 1981, there were already as many as one other player with a Z-name, Romeo Zondervan of Ipswich. Peter Zelem later became a cleaner. Put that in your pub quiz and smoke it.
Zenith Data Systems Cup
Much-maligned trophy that, for a long while, was Chelsea's pride and joy.
Zerouali, Hicham
Popular Moroccan taken to the bosom of Aberdeen fans during brief spell that saw him become the first player to wear the number '0' on his back and score terrific hat-trick v Dundee. Died in car accident in 2004, RIP.
Zico
Fantastic Brazilian, bending bananas in the days when R Carlos and Becky were eating them mashed up with a bib on. Big in Japan.
Zidane, Zinedine
Greatest player since Maradona. Greatest headbutt since Rab C Nesbitt.
Zigga-Zig-Ahhh
Catchphrase of Mrs Beckham in the days - so distant now - when you would of.
Zitelli, David
Former Hibernian left-sided forward, immortalised - or not - in song with the ditty: 'David Zitelli/We watch him on the telly...'
Zlatan
Supercool first-name of beaky, stroppy, hit-and-miss Champ Manager legend Ibrahimovic.
Zoff, Dino
Italian smoking machine, played in World Cups until age of 94.
Zola, Gianfranco
Minute Italian genius who managed to achieve the near-impossible by playing for Chelsea and being popular.
Z, Row
Standard destination for thunderbolt free-kick from Roberto Carlos, Frank Lampard piledriver, English penalty shoot-out effort etc.
Zulu/Zulu Army
Name for, ahem, 'hardcore' support of Birmingham City.
Alan Tyers...has left the building.
