Zinedine Zidane to become Real Madrid sporting director
- Published
World Cup 1998 - Zinedine Zidane leads France to title
French legend Zinedine Zidane has announced he will become Real Madrid's new sporting director from Monday.
The 39-year-old, who won the Champions League with Real in 2002, external, had been working at the Bernabeu as president Florentino Perez's special adviser.
"We are going to start working in the role as director of football to the first team," Zidane said.
"[Real manager Jose] Mourinho has been fundamental in this, and so has the president."
Zidane, who helped France win the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000, played for Real Madrid between 2001 and 2006.
It is thought that the three-time Fifa World Player of the Year could be taking on some of the responsibilities that were handled by Jorge Valdano until he was sacked at the end of the 2010-2011 season, external.
The relationship between Valdano and Mourinho, who was appointed as coach in 2010, external, deteriorated throughout the season.
Mourinho had previously asked for Zidane to work more closely with the first team and it was the former France playmaker who helped convince the club to buy French defender Raphael Varane from Lens in June.
When asked what the role would involve, Zidane replied: "We shall see. Everyone has been asking me the same question, but I will be there from next Monday, until the end of the season."
He added: "Real Madrid is the most important thing that happened to me, both as a footballer and as a person. And I will continue to work with the club because it is the best."