Real Madrid icon Zinedine Zidane confirmed his intention to return to football management after nearly three years away from the game.
Zidane, whose coaching career has been exclusively at Real Madrid across two stints, stepped down from his position in 2021, paving the way for Carlo Ancelotti's appointment.
Consistently linked with top managerial roles across Europe, Zidane has been associated with clubs like Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain. At one stage, there were suggestions he could succeed Didier Deschamps as the head coach of the French national team.
In a recent documentary about Marcello Lippi's life, Zidane expressed his openness to coaching in Italy, where he made his first managerial move outside of France.
“Why not? Anything can happen, but at the moment I’m doing something else. I am sure that I will return to the bench, I would like to coach again.”
Zidane holds Lippi in high regard, particularly after the Italian led his team to victory over France in the 2006 World Cup final, which marked the end of the Frenchman's illustrious playing career.
“Marcello Lippi was the one who made me come to Juventus, the first who believed in me and let me play. It wasn’t easy for him, I came from France, everything was different, but Lippi made me become what I later became. As a player I had great coaches like Lippi or Ancelotti, but everyone has to follow their own path,” he explained during the documentary, as carried by Diario AS.
As for Zidane's next move, it remains uncertain. He is unlikely to rush into a managerial role unless he feels it is the right fit for him. If Deschamps were to vacate his position in the near future, Zidane would likely emerge as a leading candidate.
However, Deschamps' contract extends until after the 2026 World Cup which means Zidane will not be taking over the French national team at least until 2026.
