Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has announced his resignation barely a week after annexing the 13th European title for the Spanish giants.
The Frenchman announced his shock decision at a press conference on Thursday.
After about two-and-half seasons with Real Madrid, Zidane won the 2017 Spanish La Liga and Super Cup, two UEFA Super Cup titles, two FIFA Club World Cup titles and the UEFA Champions League three times, the last of which came last Saturday.
He managed a total of 149 games, winning 104 of them and losing 16. The rest were draws.
He won a total of nine trophies with his feat in the UEFA Champions League unparalleled, winning the titles in a row.
Zizou, as he is affectionately called, was named Real Madrid manager in January, 2016 after Rafael Benitez was sacked.
He was then coaching Real Madrid’s Team B, Real Madrid Castilla, a position he assumed in June, 2014.
His first game in charge of Madrid – just five days after taking over from Benitez – saw his side wallop Deportivo La Coruna 5-0.
His final game was obviously the 3-1 win in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final over Liverpool.
It is unclear what the next move of Zidane will be but he says he will “be forever close to [Real Madrid]”.
“Real Madrid has given everything to me,” he stated.
“I will be forever close to this club, to my club. I made this decision because I love this club, I love [the club president] and I am grateful towards him.”
Club President Florentino Perez at the press conference confessed the club was not prepared for the manager’s decision and it has no idea who will succeed Zidane.
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana