Official: Zidane resigns from Real Madrid

Read Time:2 Minute, 15 Second

Zinedine Zidane has stepped down as Real Madrid head coach five days after celebrating three consecutive Champions League titles with victory over Liverpool in Kiev.

Zidane announced his decision in Madrid on Thursday morning. Sat alongside Real president Florentino PĆ©rez, the World Cup winner said he felt he had taken the club as far as he could: ā€œI have taken the decision to not continue into the next season. For me and for everybody, I think the moment to change has arrived. It was not an easy decision.
ā€œThis is my decision,ā€ he continued, having admitted he had previously planned to sign a new contract. ā€œMaybe itā€™s a mistake. But I feel itā€™s time. If I donā€™t think that we can keep winning then itā€™s time. How can I ask more from the players? Big players need a change.
ā€œIf I was the manager here next season, it would have been tough for us to win trophies. You saw in the Copa [del Rey] this season and I canā€™t forget our domestic campaign that easily.ā€
Real finished only third in La Liga, 17 points behind champions Barcelona and lost in the domestic cupā€™s quarter-finals to LeganĆ©s.
PĆ©rez added: ā€œThis was a totally unexpected decision, Zidane informed me of his choice yesterday. I thank him for the work he has done.ā€
Zidane, the star midfielder who first joined the club in 2001 in a then-world record fee from Juventus, said:
ā€œI will be close to this club for the rest of my life. I want to thank the fans, who always supported me both as a coach and a player. There were tough moments during the season and although I was sometimes whistled at, I want to thank the fans.
ā€œThis is a beautiful moment as we have just won a third straight Champions League and I have now reflected and made this decision.
The Frenchman, formerly coach of Real Madrid Castilla, was appointed as head coach of Realā€™s first team in January 2016 after the dismissal of Rafa BenĆ­tez, and guided the club to the Champions League title by beating AtlĆ©tico Madrid on penalties in the final.
He won the Spanish league title in his second season, then became the first manager to win the Champions League in his first three seasons when Real defeated Juventus in the 2017 final, and Liverpool this month.
ā€œA change is needed. Iā€™m not going to get involved in these things,ā€ he said when asked about a possible successor. ā€œIā€™m not here to talk about the future of this team.ā€

Happy
Happy
0 %
Sad
Sad
0 %
Excited
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
Angry
0 %
Surprise
Surprise
0 %