French footballer Zidane kicks shuttlecock as he plays 'mysterious' game in Shanghai with locals - Watch

French football legend Zinedine Zidane was seen playing shuttlecock with a group of admirers in Shanghai. The video of him joining local residents is going viral on social media. The 53-year-old was seen skilfully engaging in a game of shuttlecock with some Shanghai residents, both men and women. According to a report by Jimu News, Zidane's video from the streets has gone viral on Chinese social media. Named the Best FIFA Men’s Player three times, Zidane has been in China since November, where he is for several commercial events. On November 30, when Zidane and his team crossed a small square on the Bund, they saw some people playing shuttlecock.

Zidane initially took some videos of them playing the unusual sport, and later decided to join in. Shuttlecock is a game where players use a large piece of it and kick it among themselves with their feet. It is known as jian zi in Chinese. The game is just like football, except you don't need to score a goal, but keep it in the air while kicking with your feet. Zidane was unfamiliar with the sport, but quickly picked it up using his flawless football skills. Later in the clip, he can also be seen dabbling with a small ball.

Netizens praise Zidane's shuttlecock skills

Netizens counted exactly how many times Zidane kicked the shuttlecock. According to them, the French made contact around 15 times, and in the process made some exceptional moves that are not easy for newbies. Zidane later shared the video on his social media and called the game "mysterious". Chinese games have caught Zidane's fascination in the past as well. In 2018, he was seen on the street in Hangzhou, eastern Zhejiang province, enamoured by people playing mahjong.

People in China love Zidane and call him Sacred Zidane. Before his trip to China, Zidane wrote on his social media, “No matter football or mahjong, I hope to explore this beautiful country.”