Zidane refuses to return to Real Madrid

The Spanish newspaper AS revealed that Real Madrid attempted to re-hir their former coach, Zinedine Zidane, last December to take over the team's management, but the negotiations were unsuccessful. According to the report, the club offered Zidane the position of head coach, succeeding Xabi Alonso, but the move came too late, as the French coach had already informed the club's management that he had finalized his agreement with the French national team. Following Alonso's departure, Álvaro Arbeloa took over as interim coach until the end of the current season. Multiple reports indicate that Zidane is now the frontrunner to succeed Didier Deschamps as coach of the French national team, with expectations that his appointment will be officially announced after France's participation in the 2026 World Cup. It is worth noting that Deschamps had previously announced his decision to leave the national team after the conclusion of their campaign in the 2026 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in the United States and Canada.