Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane has confirmed that he will return to football management at some point, as he approaches three years out of a job.
Zidane has only managed at Real Madrid in his coaching career, across two spells, and resigned from the position in 2021 before Carlo Ancelotti took over.
Perennially linked with the big jobs in Europe, previous years have seen Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain linked with a move for Zidane, while at one point it appeared as if he would be Didier Deschamps’ replacement at the French national team.
During a recent documentary about the life of Marcello Lippi, he confirmed he would be happy to coach in Italy, where he made his first 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 speaks highly of the Italian coach, who took the Azzurri to World Cup glory over his France side in the 2006 final, the final match of his 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.
Where Zidane’s next destination is, only he will know. He seems unlikely to walk into a club in a situation that he doesn’t feel is right for him, given he has not rushed back into management. If Deschamps does end up departing in the short-term, then Zidane will immediately be the prime candidate again, but his contract runs until after the 2026 World Cup.