After a thrilling Champions League victory in Kiev, Real Madrid collect their third title in a row for the competition. The man behind it all, Zinedine Zidane, has made history and is making his claim for best manager ever.
Everyone knows how good Zidane was as a player. He dominated the field and provided a touch of elegance to each and every pass. Watching him make the transition to manager with Real Madrid has been extraordinary. He’s been able to accomplish so much in so little time.
Within his 2.5 years for the club he’s won 9 out of the 13 possible trophies he could win.
His world dominance begins with his 3 Champion’s League titles. The action kicks off with his first Champion’s League title in 2016 or “La UnDecima”. A tough match against Atletico Madrid that finished with penalties.
He then followed up in 2017 against Juventus with a 4-1 win in Cardiff, which was a little less nerve-wracking given the heavy scoreline.
Zidane then removed all doubts in Kiev against Liverpool. He and the team pulled off a fantastic 3-1 win. This win allowed him to etch his legacy as a manager in footballing history.
The other 6 titles Zidane has won is the 2016/2017 La Liga title, Supercopa de Europa, and Mundial de Clubes. In the 2017/2018 campaign he grabbed the Supercopa de Europa, Supercopa de Espana, and Mundial de Clubes.
How Zidane compares to other great Managers
Arsene Wenger is one of the first names you think about when talking about English football. Though Wenger never won a single UCL title. Another English legend, Sir Alex Ferguson, was only able to win two. The large part of him winning the second trophy being Cristiano Ronaldo.
Jose Mourinho similarly has only 2 UCL titles in 17 years of management, unable to do it with his time in Madrid. Last but not least, the current Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, who has only been able to win 2.
These comparisons help to put into perspective of what Zidane is doing for Real Madrid. His dominance is something we may never get to see again in our lifetime. Some may say it’s because of the players he was gifted or luck, but there has to be more to it.
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One statement that can be said about Zidane is that he is on top of the world right now. Do you agree, and if not, who beats him?