The former Real Madrid boss is eager to return to management, with an international position that appeals to him but admits he has few options
Zinedine Zidane has explained why he was not in a position to take charge of Manchester United now that there are managerial vacancies at Old Trafford, while also discussing possible roles at Paris Saint-Germain and France.
The Frenchman, who inspired his country to World Cup glory in 1998, has been out of work since he ended a second stint as Real Madrid boss in the summer of 2021.
He wants to return to the dugout but admits that personal ambition is keeping him out of the running for many roles, while the language barrier prevents him from ever becoming a serious contender for prominent positions in the Premier League.
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Could Zidane manage Manchester United or PSG?
He wondered if he could ever end up at PSG, despite his strong ties to arch-rival Marseille, and if teams like Man Utd were an option in the past, Zidane said. L’Equipe: “Never say never. Especially if you are a coach these days.
“When I was a player I could choose almost any club. As a coach there are not 50 clubs I can go to. There are two or three options.
“When I go back to a club, it’s to win. I say this in all modesty. That’s why I have nowhere to go.
“I may not be able to go everywhere for other reasons. Which? The language, for example. Certain circumstances make it more difficult.
“When people say to me, ‘Do you want to go to Manchester?’ I understand English but not quite master it.
“I know there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work differently. To win, many elements come into play. It’s a global context. Me, I know what I need to win. “
Will Zidane be France manager?
While club football offers Zidane the most logical path to coaching, a man who earned 108 caps for France in his playing time and who admits a role at Les Bleus is clearly attractive.
When asked if he could take charge of his country, Zidane said: “I’m not done with Les Bleus yet.
“Of course I want to do it. I will be [France coach], I hope one day. When? That’s not up to me.
“I want to come full circle with the French national team. I met this French team as a player and it’s the best thing that ever happened to me!
“It’s the pinnacle. So ever since I went through that and am now a coach, the French team has been firmly rooted in my head.
“To succeed [Didier] Deschamps? I don’t know. If it has to, it will happen, at that moment or not.
“When I say that I want to take charge of the French national team one day, I assume it.
“At the moment a team has been formed. With their goals, but if the opportunity comes later, I’ll be there. Again, it’s not me. My deepest desire is there. The French national team is the most beautiful thing there is.”
