Zinedine Zidane explains how he turned a broken Real Madrid side into Champions League kings | OneFootball

Few managers are as deeply admired by Real Madrid supporters as Zinedine Zidane. 

Notably, when the Frenchman joined the club in January 2016, the situation was far from stable. 

A disappointing run under Rafael Benitez had left the squad short on confidence and rhythm. 

What followed, however, was one of the most extraordinary periods in football history, as Zidane guided Real Madrid to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles.

Looking back at his time

Reflecting on his sudden promotion and the early doubts he faced, Zidane first recalled the moment he stepped into the role and how quickly reality hit him.

“I remember we were preparing for a match against Ebro, and we got the chance to train with the first team. 

“When I started at Castilla, I had dreams of managing the first team, but after losing three matches when I started, I thought that would be the end of it.

“I knew what I was getting myself into. We had the best team in the world. 

“I looked at the players and knew that if we worked hard, we could achieve great things, and that’s what happened. 

“We didn’t want every training session to be the same,” he told Hamidou Msaidie’s YouTube channel, according to AS.

Issues he faced

Zidane then explained the main issue he encountered upon taking charge, stressing that physical condition and collective effort had to be fixed immediately.

“The team wasn’t in good physical shape, and we just had to instil in them the idea that they needed to work as a team. 

Zidane made Real Madrid the king of Europe. (Photo credit: GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

I met with the four captains and told them what I wanted from them, and would see if they were committed. When they agreed to work, that was it. 

“We rediscovered their motivation. We made them run. Physical work was essential.”

Facing the derbies

The former Madrid boss also revealed a brutally honest message he delivered to the squad when facing their biggest rivals, Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona.

“I told them that if we played against Atleti or Barça, we would lose 100%. If we worked together, then we could beat them, and that’s what happened. 

“In January, we wouldn’t have beaten them, but at the end of the season, we beat both of them. Barça in La Liga and Atleti in the Champions League.”

Zidane also opened up about his bond with the players and why trust was the foundation of his success.

“At Real Madrid, we were there for the players. If you don’t understand that, you can’t last in this profession. 

“If the players don’t agree with everything they’re given, the training sessions, all that… something will always be missing. With us, I think they enjoyed it a lot on all levels.”

Confidence within the team

Finally, Zidane explained how confidence and competition within the squad were non-negotiable during that golden era.

“We instilled a lot of confidence in the players. They had gone through a bad patch and needed to regain their confidence. 

“When a player is competitive, he’s happy to train and go out and play. I tried to make them see that they were all important. 

If they didn’t train well, they couldn’t play. If on Monday you know who’s going to play on Saturday, that’s bad. Players who don’t play aren’t going to train well,” concluded the former Real Madrid coach.