Zinedine Zidane has resigned as Real Madrid manager with immediate effect, the Spanish club said Thursday, just days after the club were beaten to the La Liga title by Atletico Madrid.
The Frenchman’s departure comes at the end of a disappointing campaign — by his own high standards — for the 13-time European champions, who also lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals as they failed to win a trophy for the first time in 11 seasons.
“It has been an honor to have a legend like you as a coach. Thank you for what you have taught me, for the trust you have always had in me and for what we have won together. Hopefully we meet again. I wish you the best,” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois tweeted.
The 1998 World Cup winner first took the helm in January 2016 and guided Real to the 2017 La Liga title and an unprecedented hat-trick of Champions League titles before abruptly quitting on May 31, 2018. He returned in 2019, winning a second La Liga crown in 2020 and the Spanish Super Cup.
Here are some reactions to the news of Zidane’s departure for the second time:
He left his mark on @realmadriden and #LaLigaHistory! ✨💜
— LaLiga English (@LaLigaEN) May 27, 2021
Thank you for everything, Zinedine Zidane! 🇫🇷👔 pic.twitter.com/fJ7dZ5zTHR
Going to miss this duo 😔 pic.twitter.com/3sLztIZbA2
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 27, 2021
Ha sido un placer. Gracias Zizou🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/PkakPPt8uP
— Toni Kroos (@ToniKroos) May 27, 2021
Ha sido un honor tener de entrenador a una leyenda como tú. Gracias por lo que me has enseñado, por la confianza que siempre has tenido en mi y por lo que hemos ganado juntos. Ojalá nos volvamos a encontrar. Te deseo lo mejor! pic.twitter.com/cAWE6HamfH
— Thibaut Courtois (@thibautcourtois) May 27, 2021
Zinedine Zidane is the only manager to win the Champions League in three consecutive seasons.
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) May 27, 2021
What a legacy 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ImlhOiI5To
Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid record during his second spell 👏 pic.twitter.com/ocq6kwLUBt
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 27, 2021
Even after a trophyless season, the way majority of Real Madrid’s fans wanted Zidane to stay says it all about him as a person and as a manager. He symbolises what Real Madrid is supposed to be. There’s nobody better than him for this club. The energy he transmits is special.
— TC. (@totalcristiano) May 27, 2021
Real Madrid confirm Zinedine Zidane leaving. Shaping up to be an interesting summer this one with all the big managerial changes and demands around players that will bring.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) May 27, 2021
Zidane in his second spell as Real Madrid manager:
— Real Madrid Stats (@RMadrid_Stats) May 27, 2021
Seasons: 2
Titles: 2
Games: 114
Wins: 69
Draws: 25
Losses: 20
Clean Sheets: 47
Goals For: 203
Goals Against: 104
Goal Difference: +99 pic.twitter.com/c0ARh9XdPR
The exclusive by @FabrizioRomano about Zinedine Zidane leaving Real Madrid is now official. Now the Spanish side will have to find another manager, with Massimiliano Allegri already close to sign with Juventus in the next hours.
— Francesco Porzio (@fraporzio95) May 27, 2021
Zidane and Conte resign from their clubs. Meanwhile Pirlo. pic.twitter.com/Rvcaggup1W
— Abijit Ganguly (@AbijitG) May 27, 2021
Real Madrid confirm that Zinedine Zidane has left the club. Again.
— 90min (@90min_Football) May 27, 2021
Champions League 🏆🏆🏆
La Liga 🏆🏆
Supercopa 🏆🏆
Super Cup 🏆🏆
Club World Cup 🏆🏆
He leaves a legend as a player and manager. pic.twitter.com/8ttrrg0DlP
Thank you Zidane.
— Real Madrid Stats (@RMadrid_Stats) May 27, 2021
He MASSIVELY overachieved to the point that we believed we could win the double with such a depleted squad, 68 injuries and no new signings, a true sign of how great he was/is.
The best Real Madrid manager in history and one of the best ever.#GraciasZidane pic.twitter.com/S0vzWGtV2A
Real Madrid won a trophy once every 23.9 games on average during Zinedine Zidane's two spells as manager.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) May 27, 2021
◉ 3x UCL
◉ 2x LaLiga
◉ 2x Supercopa
◉ 2x Super Cup
◉ 2x Club World Cup
Over and out (again). pic.twitter.com/jCg6OMGLCT
A real shame Zidane never got a send-off with fans. His last match at the Bernabéu turned out to be the 2-0 Clásico on March 1st 2020. pic.twitter.com/0EzEvhkiGV
— Euan McTear (@emctear) May 27, 2021
Zidane leaves Real Madrid.
— Real Madrid Xtra (@RealMadridXtra) May 27, 2021
Gareth Bale : pic.twitter.com/NGRzAcWyVE
Right, so it's Allegri back to Juve, Pochettino back to Spurs, Zidane to PSG, Conte to Real Madrid, and Big Sam to Inter?
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) May 27, 2021
Imagine being Zizou. You win everything there’s to win with Madrid, yet the media is upset with you. After that first tenure, you return and drag Madrid out of humiliation depths, win La Liga, yet the media is upset with you. Add this to not being backed. Why did he leave? Well..
— Xav Salazar (@XavsFutbol) May 27, 2021