Zinedine Zidane has left Real Madrid a week after leading them to third consecutive Champions League title.
French manager Zinedine Zidane has announced his resignation as manager of Real Madrid. The Frenchman called an impromptu press conference earlier today to announce his decision. He was accompanied by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
Zidane replaced Rafael Benitez as manager of Los Blancos in 2016. Since becoming the Real Madrid manager, Zidane has won three consecutive Champions League title, being the first manager to do so. He also led the club to La Liga triumph in 2016-17. In his three seasons at the club, he didn’t lose a single cup final.
He also led the club to two successive FIFA Club World Cup victories.
In February, he suggested that being a manager of a giant club like Real Madrid is tiring.
Zidane was earlier the head coach for Real Madrid Castilla.
Addressing the media, Zidane said, “I love this club, I love the president. He gave me the opportunity to come as a player and now manager and I am eternally grateful. But we have to change.”
Zidane insisted that this is not a final goodbye. “It can be a ‘see you later’. Madrid has given me everything. I will be close to this club all my life.”
The Frenchman admitted that the decision won’t make sense to many, as it comes on the brink of a Champions League win. ” But the decision, for many, doesn’t make sense. But it does to me. It is the moment to make a change.”
“I think it is the right decision for everyone. I have to thank the fans for all their support and love. We have had complicated moments of the season, when you are not at your best, the fans push you and that made us better,” Zidane said.
Reacting to the announcement, club president Florentino Perez said,
“After winning the Champions League, the decision was unexpected. It is a sad day for me, the fans and the players. But he knows I wanted him as a player and as a manager. Iwanted him to stay forever and I wanted to convince him to stay. But I know it was his final decision. All I want to do is remind him that this club is his home and family.”
