Last updated at 14:55 05 January 2008

One of football's great myths is that three-time World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane was rejected as a teenager by Tottenham.

The World Cup winner, who played for Real Madrid and Juventus, was supposedly branded 'too wooden' by Gerry Francis.

But when Zidane was asked about his widely-discussed trial in north London this week, ZZ looked baffled and spluttered "who?".

His translator apologised and explained: "I don't think he has heard of Tottenham Hotspur."