Zinedine Zidane Set to Finally Manage Player He Tipped to 'Surpass Everyone' in Football

Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest footballers ever to play the game and one of its most prolific managers in terms of sheer weight of silverware.

The Real Madrid icon has only managed 320 first team matches, winning a Champions League every 100 or so matches on average.

Zidane's three European titles and two La Liga titles added to his incredible success as a player but he's yet to be tempted back into management since leaving the role for the second time in 2021.

The World Cup winner is linked with every major job that comes up for grabs, most recently the chance to succeed another former Real Madrid boss, Jose Mourinho, in charge of Istanbul giants Fenerbahce.

But if one Real Madrid star gets his way Zidane could be his manager in the future.

Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe pictured (Image: Getty)

Kylian Mbappe has also won the World Cup with France and moved to the Bernabeu from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, three years after Zidane's departure.

The 26-year-old can expect to reach his 100th international cap under the leadership of Didier Deschamps, France's long-serving manager, but has offered his endorsement of Zidane as his successor.

"Nobody is going to say no. Only he can say no," Mbappe told L'Equipe. "If it's him, fine! But if it's someone else, fine too. But he's the only one in the history of French football who has almost all the rights."

The feeling is mutual. Zidane was gushing with praise for Mbappe when he spoke to the media before the launch of a documentary about the former Monaco youngster.

Didier Deschamps pictured during the Euro 2024 semi-final between Spain and France (Image: Getty)

"Mbappe is here now," the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner said of Mbappe's arrival in Madrid.

"He will make history at the club and I think he'll surpass everyone.

France's next manager will have big shoes to fill

If Zidane does take over from Deschamps, he'll face an enormous challenge to replicate his former teammate's success in the national team job.

Deschamps, who captained Zidane and France to World Cup glory in 1998 and a dramatic European Championship win two years later, also won the World Cup as France's manager in 2018.

The former Marseille and Juventus midfielder has been in charge of Les Bleus for 13 years and has won more than 100 international fixtures.

Zidane has not managed any team outside the Real Madrid set-up, having cut his teeth with their B team before two spells in the top job.