Payet "touched" over chant comparing him to football Legend Zidane

The playmaker has quickly become a popular figure among West Ham supporters and is looking to extend his side's impressive start to the season against ex-team-mate Eden Hazard

                                                              Getty images

West Ham midfielder Dimitri Payet has admitted he was “touched” to hear a chant comparing him to Zinedine Zidane after the Hammers’ 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

Slaven Bilic’s side have enjoyed a fine start to the season and sit in fourth place heading in to Saturday’s meeting with Chelsea, with Payet in particular earning plaudits for his form.

The 28-year-old has quickly become a popular figure with the club’s supporters, who have hailed him as “better than Zidane” in their latest song.

“I heard it after the Crystal Palace match – it was posted a lot on my Twitter feed,” he told the Daily Mirror.

“It is the first time I have a song with my name – it never happens in France. It really touched me. I would like to thank the fans.

“Even to be compared with him [Zidane] is a really good thing for me.”

Payet is waiting to find out whether he will face a former team-mate in Eden Hazard at Upton Park this weekend, with the playmakers having spent a year together at Lille


Hazard has endured an indifferent start to the campaign and was dropped from Jose Mourinho’s starting XI against Aston Villa, but Payet is convinced the Belgian star is on his way to becoming one of the world’s best players.

“It was a pleasure to play with such a player - it was easy to play with Eden,” he said. “I think in the years to come he is going to be the best along with [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo.”

“I watched the match against Newcastle and two or three other matches. As soon as he touches the ball, there are two or three players on him trying to stop him playing.

“It is going less well at the moment but I am not worried for him. Eden is someone very strong mentally. I have no worries that he will get through this and return to his usual level and he will help Chelsea reach their goals.

“If I said I was not scared of him, I would be a liar! He is still their top player going forward.”

He added: “As Chelsea have lost one or two matches at the start of the season, everyone says: ‘It is now possible to beat Chelsea’. There is maybe less fear than before. Other teams are a bit more relaxed when they play Chelsea.

“But they remain a top team. They have not lost their quality in two months.”




Source: GOAL