Cyrille de la Morinerie / Photo credit: Eric FEFERBERG / AFP
06:38, October 23, 2024modified to
08:02, October 23, 2024
A surprising destination. According to several Italian media, notably Corriere della Sera, the Saudi football federation dreams of Zinédine Zidane. The current coach of the national team Roberto Mancini is in the hot seat and the Saudis, their pockets full of money, would be ready to offer the former star of the blues a golden bridge.
“Completely credible”
After the draw against Bahrain (0-0) and a defeat against Japan (2-0), Roberto Mancini and his staff should soon be sacked. Saudi Arabia, which holds a Formula 1 grand prize and is a candidate to host the World Cup in 2030, would have a new dream: entrust the national team to Zinédine Zidane. For three years and his departure from Real Madrid, Zizou has been calm and shows up at a few hand-picked events. The 1998 Ballon d’Or was, for example, one of the stars of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Will the former number 10, who is eyeing the French team, succumb to the lure of Saudi Arabia and its petrodollars, like Laurent Blanc or Steven Gerrard who coach teams in the kingdom? It’s entirely possible, believes journalist Jacques Vendroux, especially since the place in the French team is still taken, at least until July 2026, the date of the end of Didier Deschamps’ contract.
“Of course I believe in it and for several reasons. First, Zidane is capable of coaching any national team or club and he is completely right to possibly accept this challenge with Saudi Arabia. Then, It’s been three years since he coached. The French team, for the moment, is not up for grabs since Didier Deschamps is in complete control of the situation and Zizou will have to coach again one day or another. “, explains the presenter of the legends studio on Europe 1. The latter is therefore not “shocked by this rumor” and believes that the 1998 world champion is “completely credible”, particularly with his three League titles. consecutive champions with Real Madrid.
“I don’t completely believe it”
“The coaches there in Saudi Arabia do not stay in their positions for very long,” warns Alain Giresse, football consultant for Europe 1. But we must be wary of this kind of rumor, because each time a position is released, the name of the world champion comes back insistently, to Bayern Munich, to PSG and even to Algeria, insists Europe 1 football consultant Alain Giresse. “I don’t completely believe in it, because when there is a new position, we think of Zidane and if he really wanted to coach, he would have done it already.
Plus it’s a national team, it would be a first for him and then there, they are very hungry for coaches, they don’t stay in post very long, so I’m a little on my reserve”, explains the Former coach of Kosovo, Mali and Senegal in particular.
Hervé Renard, now free after his departure from the French women’s team and who was coach of the Saudi team during the last World Cup, would also be on the shelves of the Kingdom’s leaders. It is therefore very unlikely to see Zinédine Zidane take the reins of the modest Saudi selection, 56th in the FIFA rankings. Saudi Arabia is also far from having assured its qualification for the next World Cup.
