Zinedine Zidane has achieved a good deal in his two years at Real Madrid. However, one former France international believes Zidane will could soon join the national squad.
Former France centre-back Frank Leboeuf sees Zidane as a prime candidate for the position of manager of the national team. France are currently coached by another former international, Didier Deschamps. However, Leboeuf says that if and when Deschamps decides to leave the team, the Football Federation should give Zidane a call.
“I don’t know when [current France boss Didier] Deschamps will decide, or when the federation will decide to get rid of him, but we all feel that Zidane will be the next national coach.”
Zidane and Leboeuf were teammates in France’s most succesful side. It was a team that managed to win both the World Cup and Euro Cup trophies. Zidane enjoyed tremendous success at club level, as well. He ended his career at Real Madrid, becoming a team symbol in the process.
His commitment to the club was rewarded with the managerial position. It is safe to say that Zidane has done better than most had expected. In less than two years in charge, he has won the Primera Division trophy and the Champions League. Real is set to play Juventus in their second UCL final in a row.
Leboeuf says that there may come a time when Zidane will have to consider a move away from Real. “That is, if he wants to, because if he carries on being successful with Real Madrid then he won’t take the job even if the seat is free. It’s very hard to stay as Real Madrid coach for a long time, Mr Perez is very impatient. When it’s possible, Zidane will join the national team, that’s for sure.”
However, for now Leboeuf says Zidane is the perfect choice for Real. The former defender praised Zizou for what seems to be an ability to make all his endevours succesful.
“It seems that when Zinedine Zidane touches something, it becomes golden. When Real Madrid decided to name him as head coach, he came into the dressing room as the guy who won the World Cup and had worked hard for the club and won the Champions League with a fantastic volley in Glasgow [in 2002], so he had the respect of the dressing room.”
“But I think his work alongside Ancelotti as an assistant, and then his work in charge of the reserve team, gave him enough experience to get into the job.”
