Zidane: “It is my desire to return to coaching”

To everyone’s surprise, legendary France playmaker Zinédine Zidane (50) was unveiled yesterday in London as Alpine’s brand ambassador during the French carmaker’s launch of their 2023 Formula 1 challenger, the A523. The former Real Madrid manager will be tasked with promoting diversity, equal opportunities and inclusion in Alpine, a subsidiary of the Renault Group, that is involved in F1 as well as in Endurance racing. Zidane, an auto racing and Formula 1 enthusiast since his days as an Ayrton Senna fan, spoke to L’Equipe of the time F1 legend Michael Schumacher backseated him. “He warned me that, in a F1, the acceleration is less impressive than the braking. And he was right ! The way he braked late and hard… Wow !“

Zidane also stated that he struck a deal with Alpine in the event of a football team hiring him as a coach. “Joining a club won’t prevent me from continuing to work with the team, but of course it will be a little less, since I would be committed on a daily basis. It is my desire to return to coaching.” Zidane’s wish to return to management since his departure as Real Madrid coach in June 2021 is no secret. As was his desire to replace Didier Deschamps at the head coach of France’s national team.

But his former teammate’s long-term contract extension until the 2026 World Cup surely means Zidane would rather take a manager’s job at a club that suits his ambitions. It has been reported that PSG owner and Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani would like “Zizou”, a 3-time Champions League winner with Los Merengues, to coach Les Parisiens. “To have today this project with Alpine has nothing to do with it”, quipped Zidane. “I’m doing it, because right now I have time, but I don’t know how long it will last. Things can happen very quickly… as early as June, we’ll see.“

GFFN | Bastien Cheval