News about Zinedine Zidane

Travis Kelce met French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane at the Miami Grand Prix - and joked afterwards that he was grateful not to be headbutted. Zidane was infamously sent off from the 2006 World Cup Final vs. Italy when he headbutted Marco Materazzi, reducing France to 10 men and helping Azzurri ultimately win on penalties. But Kelce - an investor into Alpine's F1 team - had a much friendlier interaction with Zidane on Sunday.

Potential successors to Erik ten Hag are reportedly concerned about taking charge at Manchester United by critical comments from former players now working as pundits. A 4-0 thrashing against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park thrust Ten Hag's future into even more doubt as INEOS and United chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe weighs up whether to sack the Dutchman.

Pressure is continuing to grow on current boss Erik ten Hag (left) after the Red Devils lost 4-0 to Crystal Palace to fall out of the European qualification places in the Premier league table. It was the latest episode in what has been a disastrous season for United on and off-the-field, but the minority take over of Sir Jim Ratcliffe has provided cautious optimism for the future. While it has been reported that Ten Hag will be given the chance to turn his fortunes around next season, it is possible Ratcliffe will look for a new leader to take the team forward come the end of the season.

Zinedine Zidane (left) has broken his silence on his next managerial move after being linked with taking top jobs at Manchester United and Bayern Munich in the summer. The American coastline played host to Formula One's sixth GP of the season, with former Real Madrid star player and iconic manager joining other celebrities on the grid. The three-time Champions League winning manager used his time at the event to spend time meeting Formula One star's Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, while also being introduced to upcoming F1 academy talents.

Steve McManaman believes Jude Bellingham has had a 'greater impact' on the club compared to three Los Blancos legends.  The English midfielder joined the Spanish outfit from Borussia Dortmund for £113million and has seemingly taken the mantle of playing for one of the world's biggest football clubs in his stride, at the mere age of 20.  Bellingham has dazzled this season, scoring 17 goals in LaLiga, to guide Madrid to the top of the Spanish top flight. He has also scored three goals in two El Clasico matches and also helped Madrid clinch silverware, winning the Super Copa.  

Zidane has remained out of work since departing Real Madrid after his second spell in 2021 but his time out of the dugout looks set to come to an end this summer. Indeed, reports have linked him with the imminent vacancy at the Allianz Arena with current boss Thomas Tuchel set to depart at the end of a rollercoaster campaign. Julian Nagelsmann, who previously took charge at Bayern between 2021 and 2023, snubbed surprise interest from his former club after penning an extension to stay at the helm of the Germany national team until after the 2026 World Cup. That has left Zidane in pole position although Eberl was reluctant to discuss specific names. He did, however, confirm the search was poised to come to an end, with the club keen for the new coach to be in place before the end of the month.

Bayern Munich have reignited their interest in Frenkie de Jong and 'have enquired' about the possibility of signing Barcelona midfielder, according to reports.  The German giants are set to make a statement in the transfer window this summer, with Forbes claiming that executives at the Bavarian club have set aside a war chest of £130million to spend on new talent this summer.  It comes amid a big shake up at the club, with reports recently claiming that Zinedine Zidane is 'one step away' from being appointed as Thomas Tuchel's successor at the Bavarian outfit. 

PETER JENSON: It's Xavi's last stand on Sunday - his final El Clasico in charge of Barcelona. And things can go one of only two ways as his side travel to the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid go into Sunday's game having had a day's less recovery time after 120 minutes of defending against Manchester City. They still have difficult away games at Real Sociedad and Villarreal, plus the distraction of the Champions League semi-finals.

The football legend is said to be closely monitoring Erik ten Hag's situation at United despite closing in on an agreement with Bayern. Zidane, 51, has won three Champions League titles and two LaLiga crowns with Real Madrid and is seen as someone who can bring instant success. The easier prospect of trophies with Bayern appeals to him but he sees living in Bavaria and his limited German skills as roadblocks.

Bayern Munich are reportedly close to reaching an agreement with Zinedine Zidane for him to become their next manager. Zidane hasn't managed a club since his second spell in charge of Real Madrid ended in 2021. However, as reported by Mundo Deportivo, Bayern are 'one step away' from appointing Zidane as a replacement for Thomas Tuchel, who is set to leave at the end of the season.

PETE JENSON: Zizou doesn't have a CV of course. When you have won everything you don't need one. His honours list speaks for itself and winning two Spanish leagues and three Champions Leagues as a coach in two spells at Real Madrid has meant clubs from all of Europe's top leagues have approached him since, trying to tempt him into becoming their manager.

Bayern Munich have reportedly approached former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane to replace Thomas Tuchel as their next boss.  The Bavarian giants were forced to watch jubilant celebrations from rivals Bayer Leverkusen as they beat them to the Bundesliga title after a so-far unbeaten season that has seen them go 16 points clear of them in the table.  The club already announced in February that Tuchel was set to leave in the summer after an underwhelming season that saw the team go out in the German cup to amateur side Saarbrucken before seeing Leverkusen race away with the league. 

Former Man United striker Louis Saha has tipped a Manchester United youngster to become the club's next Paul Scholes.   The legendary midfielder is renowned as being one of the Premier League's greatest ever midfielders, with the 49-year-old winning 11 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues during his glittering Old Trafford career.  Widely regarded as the 'complete midfielder', Scholes has earned the plaudits of some of the game's greats, with Zinedine Zidane once claiming he was one of the most difficult opponents he ever came up against. 

Marco Materazzi has admitted that he never saw Zinedine Zidane again after the Frenchman headbutted him in the 2006 World Cup final. In the final game of his career, the French star was discredited by wrangling with the Italian defender and striking against him with his head before Materazzi's side took the trophy. Materazzi, a retired Inter Milan player, keeps fit and plays occasional friendlies with his former Inter Milan colleagues, but does not want his professional career to be remembered solely for that moment in the 2006 final.

Zinedine Zidane spoke in glowing terms of Jude Bellingham as he used the England star's locker before the England team's match against Porto Legends. The 1998 Ballon d'Or winner put on a good showing in the annual charity match held at the Bernabeu last weekend. In Madrid's star-studded roster that lost 1-0 to their Portuguese visitors, he was joined by Raul, Roberto Carlos, and Steve McManaman.

OLIVER HOLT: Any list - your list as well as mine - can be dominated by those who are not on it. However, it should really be about the participants who are on it. This list is meant to be a salute to them and of football's rich, rich past, as well as what the game means to all of us and what players represent and why they capture something in us. You'll disagree with some of the names on the list, and you'll be correct. Another man's garbage is another man's treasure. The depth of our passion for the game and the ferocity of our opinions about the players are only two of the factors that make football so beautiful.

Zinedine Zidane Zidane stepped back in the match between Real Madrid Legends and Porto Legends. The annual charity match took place at the Bernabeu, with proceeds going to benefit the Real Madrid Foundation's fight against ALS and sustainable development. The Real Madrid star-studded team included Zidane, Ral, Roberto Carlos, and Luis Figo and Steve McManaman.

ALVISE CAGNAZZO: Another weekend of Italian top flight action is over, with Inter Milan extending their advantage at the top of the table. In the meantime, Christian Pulisic performed for AC Milan again as the American shows signs of returning to his previous best, and Claudio Ranieri's Cagliari had a busy weekend. We have ten things we learned from the weekend's action in Mail Sport.

CHARLOTTE DALY: Welcome to Harold Hill football club in Essex's muddy fields. With the rain falling and the pitch heavy, it looks like a hurricane on a honeymoon. Normally, this location is home to a ProKit Essex Olympian Football League Division One team. This is the beginning of the National League system on level 11, but it is anything but normal. A group of actors, colleagues, and former Sunday league players with their own frames and eager hearts trudge out into the open field. They huddle together in the middle of the pitch, awaiting the arrival of a well-known betting company and a special guest.

PETE JENSON: Zinedine Zidane could just as well have been the man in awe, considering the first season Jude Bellingham is having since moving to Real Madrid in the summer. The Frenchman arrived in Madrid at the age of 29 and scored 12. Bellingham, 20, has scored 20 goals in his career. Bellingham has been handed over by the Spanish Football Federation for the majority of March. Madrid's appeal against the two-game suspension collapsed on Friday, so he will not participate in the game against Celta Vigo on Sunday, and he will also miss Osasuna's game next weekend. International football is now in the middle of a two-week break.

In a chic new commercial on Thursday, Jude Bellingham teamed up with French football legend Zinedine Zidane to advertise Adidas' Y-3 range. Zidane, who sported Bellingham's No 5 shirt during his illustrious career at Bernabeu, was part of Real Madrid's star-studded Galacticos team, which included Ronaldo Nazario, Luis Figo, and David Beckham. Bellingham has made no secret of his admiration for Zidane, confessing to being 'like a child' when he met the legend for the first time during the 2022 Champions League final, but the pair posed together in all-black jackets, but he was a cool and composed figure alongside the World Cup winner.

According to a former teammate of the Frenchman, Zinedine Zidane has named the only three clubs he'd like to lead. Zidane, 51, has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in 2021, but he is still a highly sought-after talent, with Man United apparently keen on his services. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who recently bought a 27.7% interest in the club, is expected to be the next permanent manager of Zidane United.

According to reports, Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to make former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane the club's next head coach, and it could be difficult to replace Erik ten Hag with the Frenchman in the summer. Ratcliffe and his INEOS staff have already named Omar Berrada as the club's next CEO, and are attempting to get Dan Ashworth's resignation from Newcastle in the hopes of making him a sports director.

Thomas Tuchel's house of cards has been blown over at Bayern Munich, and it didn't take longer than a week to finish. Three punches - defeats at Bayer Leverkusen, Lazio, and Bochum - were enough to destabilize a teetering regime. Mail Sport investigates the names that have been linked to the work, assesses whether they are going to do the job and whether they're up to the challenge.