Zinedine Zidane has explained why he has been in no position to consider taking charge of Manchester United when managerial vacancies have opened up at Old Trafford, while also discussing potential roles with Paris Saint-Germain and France.
The Frenchman, who inspired his country to World Cup glory in 1998, has been out of work since bringing a second stint as Real Madrid boss to a close in the summer of 2021.
He is looking to make a return to the dugout, but admits personal ambition rules him out of the running for many roles while the language barrier has prevented him from ever becoming a serious contender for prominent positions in the Premier League.
“When I was a player, I could choose almost every club. As a coach, there aren’t 50 clubs I can go to. There are two or three possibilities.
“If I go back to a club, it’s to win. I say this in all modesty. That’s why I can’t go anywhere.
“For other reasons, too, I might not be able to go everywhere. Which ones? The language, for example. Certain conditions make things more difficult.
“When people say to me: ‘Do you want to go to Manchester?’ I understand English but I don’t fully master it.
“I know that there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work differently. To win, many elements come into play. It’s a global context. Me, I know what I need to win.”
