Zidane Reveals Details of Real Madrid Coaching Stint
Coach Zinedine Zidane, alongside David Bettoni, discussed his coaching tenure with Real Madrid during an appearance on Hamidou Masaidi's YouTube channel. Zidane took charge of the first team on January 4, 2016, succeeding Rafael Benítez, after initially joining the club in 2014.
Upon his arrival, Zidane paid particular attention to the team's physical condition, implementing cardiovascular training sessions lasting between 20 and 30 minutes, following consultations with the team's four captains.
Zidane emphasized his coaching philosophy, stating: “At Real Madrid, we were at the players’ disposal… If you don’t understand that, you won’t be able to continue in this profession.”
He also recalled telling his players: “I told them that if we played against Atlético Madrid or Barcelona, we would lose 100%. But if we worked together, only then could we beat them, and that’s exactly what happened.” Real Madrid subsequently defeated Barcelona in La Liga and Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.
Zidane won his first Champions League title immediately after taking charge in January 2016, followed by the next two consecutive titles, noting that “the two key words were: work and enjoyment.”
