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Zinedine Zidane has long been linked with the hot seat at Manchester United, but it looks unlikely that he will take charge at Old Trafford this year. The Red Devils are in the market for a new manager this summer after parting ways with former head coach Ruben Amorim in January.
The Portuguese oversaw a turbulent 14 months in charge at the Theatre of Dreams, which included a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season. Amorim made significant changes to the squad last summer and invested over £200 million in new signings.
However, with results failing to improve, the English giants parted ways with the Portuguese and appointed Michael Carrick as caretaker manager until the summer. The Englishman has registered seven wins and two draws in his 10 games in charge, helping the Red Devils climb to third in the Premier League table.
While Carrick remains among the candidates vying for the full-time job, United are yet to make a final decision on the matter. Zidane’s managerial credentials have seen him linked with the Red Devils for a while, and those rumours have refused to go away.
Highly successful Real Madrid stint
After enjoying great success with Real Madrid as a player, Zidane also left his mark at the Santiago Bernabeu as a manager. The Frenchman notably won the Champions League on three consecutive occasions during his first stint with Los Blancos.
Zizou won two LaLiga titles and two Supercopa de Espana trophies over two spells with the LaLiga giants. He also lifted the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup twice during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Zinedine Zidane Managerial Stats
| Team | From | To | Games (G) | Wins (W) | Draws (D) | Losses (L) | Goals For (GF) | Goals Against (GA) | Goal Difference (GD) | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Madrid Castilla | 25 June 2014 | 4 January 2016 | 57 | 26 | 17 | 14 | 88 | 58 | +30 | 45.61 |
| Real Madrid | 4 January 2016 | 31 May 2018 | 149 | 105 | 28 | 16 | 398 | 163 | +235 | 70.47 |
| Real Madrid | 11 March 2019 | 27 May 2021 | 114 | 69 | 25 | 20 | 207 | 104 | +103 | 60.53 |
| Career totals | – | – | 320 | 200 | 70 | 50 | 693 | 325 | +368 | 62.50 |
Source: Wikipedia.
Zidane parted ways with Real Madrid in the summer of 2021 and is yet to take up his next assignment. The Frenchman has long been linked with United and with the Red Devils in the market for a new manager this year, his name continues to be in the mix. However, it now appears that the English giants may miss out on the former Real Madrid manager.
Zidane agrees dream job
According to ESPN, Zidane has reached a verbal agreement to take charge of the France national team after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The report states: “Zinedine Zidane will succeed Didier Deschamps as France national team head coach in the summer, with a verbal agreement already reached between the former Real Madrid star and the Fédération Française de Football (FFF), sources have told ESPN.”
It is believed that Zidane has long desired to take charge of Les Bleus, which is perhaps why he has not taken up an assignment since leaving Real Madrid. He will be officially appointed at the end of the World Cup, when Didier Deschamps will vacate the position.
The report adds that Zidane will sign the contract once a few minor details are addressed, stating: “The last detail to iron out before he can sign his contract is over his staff and how big his team can be.”
Speaking recently to French newspaper Le Figaro, FFF head Philippe Diallo refused to divulge who will succeed Deschamps. He said: “I know who it is.” However, it is now believed that it will be Zidane.
Final Thoughts
United’s pursuit of Zidane was a lost cause, given that the move never materialised despite the Frenchman being without a job for around five years. As such, the Red Devils are unlikely to be too disappointed with the latest developments.
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