Zinedine Zidane makes decision amid rumors that he could replace Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid - Reports
According to a report by Cadena SER, former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has ruled out the possibility of returning to the club for a third stint to replace the struggling Carlo Ancelotti. Despite winning LaLiga and the UEFA Champions League last season, the legendary Italian manager has seen his position at the club come under scrutiny this season.
Zidane's first association with the Spanish giants was as a player in the summer of 2001 when he joined for a reported €77.5 million fee from Juventus. He spent five years at the club before retiring in 2006. During that period, he won the Champions League and LaLiga once, played 227 games, scored 49 times, and provided 67 assists.
Zidane's first stint as a manager at the Bernabeu came after he replaced Rafa Benitez in 2016. His managerial reign comprised 263 games across two spells, which bookended the short stints by Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari. He won 2.3 and 2.04 points per game in those stints to help the team to three consecutive UEFA Champions League triumphs and two LaLiga titles among other honors.
Zinedine Zidane has not taken up the managerial role at any club since he left Real Madrid after his second stint in the summer of 2021.
"The first time I met Zinedine Zidane was in my first year in Juventus" - When Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti talked about managing Los Blancos Icon
In 2016, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti managed German giants Bayern Munich but took time to discuss his first meeting with Zinedine Zidane. The French World Cup winner played under the legendary Italian manager at Juventus and later joined his coaching staff at the Bernabeu.
Zidane played 7208 games across 91 games for Ancelotti in Turin, scoring 11 times and setting up 20 goals.
Ancelotti told GOAL eight years ago via BESoccer:
"The first time that I met Zinedine Zidane was in the first year in Juventus and I found a fantastic player, Zidane was the key for me to change my idea of football because I was always used to playing 4-4-2. At Juventus I changed my system, to play a player like him behind two strikers because I didn’t want to change the position. He was really fantastic."
Carlo Ancelotti and Zidane have enjoyed two successful stints managing Real Madrid. The pair have both won three UEFA Champions League titles and remain legendary figures at the club for their contributions to Los Blancos legacy.