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Interview

"I'm free to do what I want"

Freestyler Lisa Zimouche on the panna, Pirlo and playing to the crowd

For freestyler Lisa Zimouche, the Champions League is all about turning on the style. Lionel Messi’s outrageous nutmeg on Fernandinho in 2015 is a favourite, as is Sadio Mané’s fake on Neymar last season. With 2 million Instagram followers, Zimouche’s skills are also in demand.

“I like that I’m free to do whatever I want with the ball, without rules or boundaries,” she says. “Also that freestyling’s definitely a mix between sport and art, the things I like most. I’ve enjoyed playing in so many countries – India, USA, Algeria – wherever there are football fans or a nice crowd.

I love a panna [nutmeg] with a combo of skills just before it, then a big reaction from the crowd.”

Zimouche was on the books of local side Paris Saint-Germain when she won the world female panna championship aged 15. Since going solo she has played alongside some of the biggest names in the game, including Paul Pogba – “he feels the vibe and loves skills” – and Andrea Pirlo. The AC Milan great was her captain in the PlayStation F.C. Final at the Estadio Metropolitano a day after the Champions League final. Zimouche was impressed.

“It was an honour to play with Andrea Pirlo. Such a classy footballer and a legend! He’s still very, very good! He’s got that touch on the ball as always.” As for the next generation? “João Felix! He’s a great player with amazing skills.”

For freestyler Lisa Zimouche, the Champions League is all about turning on the style. Lionel Messi’s outrageous nutmeg on Fernandinho in 2015 is a favourite, as is Sadio Mané’s fake on Neymar last season. With 2 million Instagram followers, Zimouche’s skills are also in demand.

“I like that I’m free to do whatever I want with the ball, without rules or boundaries,” she says. “Also that freestyling’s definitely a mix between sport and art, the things I like most. I’ve enjoyed playing in so many countries – India, USA, Algeria – wherever there are football fans or a nice crowd.

I love a panna [nutmeg] with a combo of skills just before it, then a big reaction from the crowd.”

Zimouche was on the books of local side Paris Saint-Germain when she won the world female panna championship aged 15. Since going solo she has played alongside some of the biggest names in the game, including Paul Pogba – “he feels the vibe and loves skills” – and Andrea Pirlo. The AC Milan great was her captain in the PlayStation F.C. Final at the Estadio Metropolitano a day after the Champions League final. Zimouche was impressed.

“It was an honour to play with Andrea Pirlo. Such a classy footballer and a legend! He’s still very, very good! He’s got that touch on the ball as always.” As for the next generation? “João Felix! He’s a great player with amazing skills.”

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

For freestyler Lisa Zimouche, the Champions League is all about turning on the style. Lionel Messi’s outrageous nutmeg on Fernandinho in 2015 is a favourite, as is Sadio Mané’s fake on Neymar last season. With 2 million Instagram followers, Zimouche’s skills are also in demand.

“I like that I’m free to do whatever I want with the ball, without rules or boundaries,” she says. “Also that freestyling’s definitely a mix between sport and art, the things I like most. I’ve enjoyed playing in so many countries – India, USA, Algeria – wherever there are football fans or a nice crowd.

I love a panna [nutmeg] with a combo of skills just before it, then a big reaction from the crowd.”

Zimouche was on the books of local side Paris Saint-Germain when she won the world female panna championship aged 15. Since going solo she has played alongside some of the biggest names in the game, including Paul Pogba – “he feels the vibe and loves skills” – and Andrea Pirlo. The AC Milan great was her captain in the PlayStation F.C. Final at the Estadio Metropolitano a day after the Champions League final. Zimouche was impressed.

“It was an honour to play with Andrea Pirlo. Such a classy footballer and a legend! He’s still very, very good! He’s got that touch on the ball as always.” As for the next generation? “João Felix! He’s a great player with amazing skills.”

"I'm free to do what I want"
Interview

"I'm free to do what I want"

Freestyler Lisa Zimouche on the panna, Pirlo and playing to the crowd

For freestyler Lisa Zimouche, the Champions League is all about turning on the style. Lionel Messi’s outrageous nutmeg on Fernandinho in 2015 is a favourite, as is Sadio Mané’s fake on Neymar last season. With 2 million Instagram followers, Zimouche’s skills are also in demand.

“I like that I’m free to do whatever I want with the ball, without rules or boundaries,” she says. “Also that freestyling’s definitely a mix between sport and art, the things I like most. I’ve enjoyed playing in so many countries – India, USA, Algeria – wherever there are football fans or a nice crowd.

I love a panna [nutmeg] with a combo of skills just before it, then a big reaction from the crowd.”

Zimouche was on the books of local side Paris Saint-Germain when she won the world female panna championship aged 15. Since going solo she has played alongside some of the biggest names in the game, including Paul Pogba – “he feels the vibe and loves skills” – and Andrea Pirlo. The AC Milan great was her captain in the PlayStation F.C. Final at the Estadio Metropolitano a day after the Champions League final. Zimouche was impressed.

“It was an honour to play with Andrea Pirlo. Such a classy footballer and a legend! He’s still very, very good! He’s got that touch on the ball as always.” As for the next generation? “João Felix! He’s a great player with amazing skills.”

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

For freestyler Lisa Zimouche, the Champions League is all about turning on the style. Lionel Messi’s outrageous nutmeg on Fernandinho in 2015 is a favourite, as is Sadio Mané’s fake on Neymar last season. With 2 million Instagram followers, Zimouche’s skills are also in demand.

“I like that I’m free to do whatever I want with the ball, without rules or boundaries,” she says. “Also that freestyling’s definitely a mix between sport and art, the things I like most. I’ve enjoyed playing in so many countries – India, USA, Algeria – wherever there are football fans or a nice crowd.

I love a panna [nutmeg] with a combo of skills just before it, then a big reaction from the crowd.”

Zimouche was on the books of local side Paris Saint-Germain when she won the world female panna championship aged 15. Since going solo she has played alongside some of the biggest names in the game, including Paul Pogba – “he feels the vibe and loves skills” – and Andrea Pirlo. The AC Milan great was her captain in the PlayStation F.C. Final at the Estadio Metropolitano a day after the Champions League final. Zimouche was impressed.

“It was an honour to play with Andrea Pirlo. Such a classy footballer and a legend! He’s still very, very good! He’s got that touch on the ball as always.” As for the next generation? “João Felix! He’s a great player with amazing skills.”

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

For freestyler Lisa Zimouche, the Champions League is all about turning on the style. Lionel Messi’s outrageous nutmeg on Fernandinho in 2015 is a favourite, as is Sadio Mané’s fake on Neymar last season. With 2 million Instagram followers, Zimouche’s skills are also in demand.

“I like that I’m free to do whatever I want with the ball, without rules or boundaries,” she says. “Also that freestyling’s definitely a mix between sport and art, the things I like most. I’ve enjoyed playing in so many countries – India, USA, Algeria – wherever there are football fans or a nice crowd.

I love a panna [nutmeg] with a combo of skills just before it, then a big reaction from the crowd.”

Zimouche was on the books of local side Paris Saint-Germain when she won the world female panna championship aged 15. Since going solo she has played alongside some of the biggest names in the game, including Paul Pogba – “he feels the vibe and loves skills” – and Andrea Pirlo. The AC Milan great was her captain in the PlayStation F.C. Final at the Estadio Metropolitano a day after the Champions League final. Zimouche was impressed.

“It was an honour to play with Andrea Pirlo. Such a classy footballer and a legend! He’s still very, very good! He’s got that touch on the ball as always.” As for the next generation? “João Felix! He’s a great player with amazing skills.”

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

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