Zinedine Zidane became the world's most expensive footballer on Monday, signing a four-year contract to join Real Madrid from Juventus for a fee worth between £48-£50 million sterling.
"It is a great honour to come here to this great club," France's World Cup and Euro 2000 winner told reporters at his presentation, before being handed the club's famous all-white shirt by the club's honorary president Alfredo Di Stefano.
"I think that after five years at Juventus it was the right time to make a move and I hope that I will be able to do as well if not better than I did at Juventus," said the World Player of the Year.
Earlier in the day, the playmaker announced on his personal website, www.zidane.fr, that he had signed for the Spanish club.
"I can officially confirm that I have signed a four-year contract which includes an option for an additional year for Real Madrid," he said.
It was the second time within the space of a year that the Spanish club has smashed the world transfer record after last year buying Luis Figo out of his contract with arch-rivals Barcelona.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said the signing had fulfilled his desire to bring the world's best players to the club in time for its centenary, to be celebrated in 2002.
"I've said before that certain players were born to play for Real Madrid and fit perfectly the characteristics needed to play at this club. And Zinedine Zidane is one such player," he said.
"I am confident that Zidane will shine even more brightly than before and that his presence will make this great club even greater," Perez said.