Zinedine Zidane has confirmed his desire to return to club management after being unveiled as Alpine F1 Team's ambassador ahead of the new racing season. The former FIFA World Cup winner with France and four-time UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid as a player and then coach told L'Equipe that he will soon be ready to return.
Zidane, 50, was expected to take over from Didier Deschamps as boss of Les Bleus but their run to the final in Qatar last year saw his contract extended. It was ex-French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet's final act before he was retired by the governing body due to shocking disrespect towards the legendary former player turned coach.
Speaking with L'Equipe, Zidane admitted that he does want to return to soccer shortly: "Joining a club will not prevent me from continuing to work with the team. Of course, it would be a little less, since I would be committed on a daily basis. It is my desire to return to coaching."
Aside from the French national team, Zidane has been linked with Paris Saint-Germain on numerous occasions and he was expected to get the job last summer before Christophe Galtier's appointment. With Les Bleus off the table for at least another couple of years, there is continued speculation that Zidane could move to Parc des Princes.
Zinedine Zidane: “Now I have time… but I don't know for how long. I know I want to coach again”, he said during Alpine F1 event. 🇫🇷 #Zidane
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 17, 2023
“Maybe I will have time until June, but things can go very fast — for sure, to resume coaching remains my desire”. pic.twitter.com/7cqIBfgQgQ
The French champions are now closer in their quest for continental glory and are 1-0 down in their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie with Bayern Munich ahead of the second leg. Zidane distanced himself from claims that his Alpine F1 ambassador role is strengthening his ties in France ahead of a potential return to domestic soccer.
"To have today this project with Alpine has nothing to do with it," said Zidane. "I am doing this because right now I have time. I do not know how long it will last, though. Things can happen very quickly. As early as June -- we will see."
Zidane has also been linked with another Real stint should Carlo Ancelotti move on from the Santiago Bernabeu at the end of this current season. Heavy speculation has suggested that the Italian could take the Brazil national team post now that Tite left his role after the 2022 World Cup.
Former club Juventus could also be an option with a summer rebuild highly likely after their recent troubles off the pitch. Two different spells from 2016-18 and 2019-21 saw Real win the Champions League three times, and La Liga, the Spanish Supercopa, the UEFA Super Cup, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup twice each under Zidane's leadership.
