"I'm never too far away" - Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane hints at possible return to dugout
Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has hinted at a possible return to management.
The French icon has twice left Los Blancos in his managerial career. He first took charge of the club in January of 2016 when he replaced Rafael Benitez at the helm. He left Madrid in May of 2018 after winning a La Liga title and three UEFA Champions League trophies amongst other silverware.
Zidane was reinstated as the club's manager in March of 2019 and signed a contract until the summer of 2022. However, Zidane departed Los Blancos prematurely at the end of the 2020-21 campaign and made way for Carlo Ancelotti.
The 1998 Ballon d'Or winner has now hinted that he could be back in the dugout in the near future. Speaking to RMC Sport (h/t Get French Football News), Zidane said:
"Do I miss being a coach? No, I’m never too far away from a job. But we’ll wait a little bit. Soon, soon. But hey, I’m just enjoying it now."
Zidane has been a free agent since vacating his role as Real Madrid's manager last year. He was linked with the job at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) this summer, but Les Parisiens ended up appointing Christophe Galtier.
The Frenchman could apparently be a candidate to replace Didier Deschamps as the manager of the French national team if they flop at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Ancelotti is doing a stellar job at Madrid and it seems unlikely that the Italian's job will be under threat anytime soon. Madrid won the league and the Champions League title last season.
Carlo Ancelotti sends blunt message to Real Madrid players ahead of the World Cup
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has asked his players scared of being injured to stay on the sofa and not show up to training.
Raphael Varane, Danilo Pereira, and Diogo Jota are just some of the high-profile names that have picked up serious injuries earlier this month. Injuries in the weeks leading up to the FIFA World Cup could end a player's dream of representing their nation on the biggest stage.
🧢 @MrAncelotti knows the way.
⏱️ #UCL https://t.co/cOhKgl5wcQ
However, Ancelotti doesn't want his players to run scared and drop their standards on the pitch. The Italian tactician recently said at a press conference (h/t Football-Espana):
"You can get injured in training and everyone wants to train. If someone tells me they’re afraid to play or train, they can stay at home on the sofa, watching a series or a movie."
Real Madrid are top of the La Liga table with 31 points from 11 games. The World Cup, meanwhile, commences on November 20 with Qatar and Ecuador facing each other in the curtain-raiser.