Zinedine Zidane has won everything with Real Madrid. During his two stints on the Merengue bench, the former playmaker collected no less than 11 trophies in just over four years as coach. A success which owes a lot to its ability to win the support of all its players. This is evidenced by the anecdote given by Frédéric Hermel, former correspondent for L’Equipe in Madrid and biographer of the former Bordeaux player.
“Zidane, he had crazy authority in the locker room. I remember a discussion I had one day with Zizou. Where he had to leave (Mateo) Kovacic in the stands. It actually made him sick. Because he told me that this guy doesn’t deserve what I’m forced to do to him. He said to me: “It makes me suffer, I spoke to him, I explained to him that there was a bloated group and that at the time we couldn’t have that many players.” he told Génération After on RMC.
Zinedine Zidane was unanimous
“Seeing how he practices all week and not being able to put it on, it hurt him. And why did the guy accept? Because Zizou was going to talk to him and explain to him and at one point or another, he compensated,” he added. Even the players sidelined by Zinedine Zidane did not hold it against him, like Achraf Hakimi, who was forced to leave Real Madrid, his training club, to find playing time.
“I have immense respect and affection for him. He trusted me, allowed me to play in an incredible team with whom I won the C1. I learned a lot from him,” he explained three years ago about the former Ballon d’Or.
