In 2006 Zinedine Zidane called time on his illustrious playing career having won the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, UEFA Champions League as well as three national league titles.
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The Frenchman spent the next four years taking part in charity events as the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and also took part in Match Against Poverty and Soccer Aid games along with fellow retired footballers. Zidane returned to his last professional club, Real Madrid after he was appointed special adviser to the Spanish giants' first team in 2010. But a year later, he was named as the club's new sporting director. Known as Zizou during his playing days, Zidane turned into full time coaching in 2013 after he was appointed assistant coach to Italian tactician Carlo Ancelotti, who was Real's head coach. While working with Ancelotti, who is regarded as one of the best and most successful coaches of all-time, Zidane was able to learn from the respected trainer and the duo guided Real to the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League title. Prior to the 2014/15 season, Zidane was given an opportunity to lead Real Madrid's B team, Castilla as the head coach.
He took charge of the team in the Segunda Division B for one-and-a-half years, before returning to the club's first team. This time the former France captain was appointed, Real head coach following the dismissal of Spanish tactician Rafael Benitez midway through the 2015/16 campaign. Zidane had inked a two-and-a-half year deal with the club.
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Zidane hit the ground running as he masterminded Real's 5-0 win over Deportivo de La Coruna in his first La Liga match. Before becoming the first Real coach to win his first El Clasico since 2007 when he guided the team to a 2-1 win over FC Barcelona in April, 2016. The three-time FIFA World Player of the Year went on to make history when led the team to the 2015/16 UEFA Champions League title and he became the seventh man to win the trophy as both a player and coach. This was only the beginning for 'Zizou' as Real won the 2016/17 La Liga title - with the team having enjoyed a historic 40-match unbeaten run which became a new Spanish record - beating coach Luis Enrique's record of 39 games undefeated with Barcelona. Zidane's charges then capped off a successful campaign with a victory over Italian giants Juventus in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League final. He became only the second manager to win the European title in his first two seasons as a coach.
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The former Juventus midfield maestro had built a formidable team which has since clinched this season's UEFA Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup after defeating English powerhouse Manchester United and Barcelona respectively. Real's triumph over fierce rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup tied 'Zizou' with Spanish legendary coach Vicente del Bosque as the club's third most successful coach with seven titles - including the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup which Zidane's charges won in Japan. Zidane has been praised for having an aura that comes from being one of the greatest footballers of all-time and as a result he commands the respect of all his players, and he looks set to become one of the greatest coaches in history of the game.