For the third time in his football career, Zidane has told the Real hierarchy he’s had enough. The Frenchman first retired as a player in 2006, then as a Champions League winner in 2018, and now after losing the Spanish championship to their city-rivals Atletico Madrid.
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Leaving after a trophyless season
In their official statement, Madrid specifically wrote that it was Zidane that decided to quit his job as head coach. He returned to the position in 2019 after a one-year hiatus.
The club wrote:
We must now respect his decision and express our gratitude for his professionalism, dedication and passion over the years and what he means to Real Madrid.
Zidane has yet to release a statement on his departure. In his final press conference following their victory over Villareal, he congratulated Atletico for a deserved championship and said Real fans could be proud of their team’s accomplishments.
He said:
In the next few days we’ll speak to the club, to the people we need to speak to and that’s all there is to it. We’ll soon see what happens, but not just with me, with Real Madrid as a whole for next season.
Compared to Real’s storied history, this season has been one to forget. The footballing giants lost out on first place in La Liga, this time to Atletico by two points.
The team had a decent run in the Champions League, beating Liverpool in the process, but they ultimately lost to Chelsea in the semi-finals.
As well, the club was one of the main organizers and promoters of the recently announced European Super League, which caused fan outrage across the world and attracted negative press.
Who will replace the legend
Multiple media outlets have linked two Italian managers to take the gig: Massimiliano Allegri of Juventus and Antonio Conte, who recently left Inter Milan after winning Serie A.
Also in the running is another legendary player from the club, Raul. The former Spanish striker currently manages Real’s second team.
