That’s it from us. Thanks for joining and I’ll bid you goodnight with an image that seems to capture the mood on what has been a painful night for Benítez and a seminal one for Zizou...
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For anyone who wants to know more about Zinedine Zidane, here are five interesting facts:
1 North African heritage
Zidane was born in La Castellane, Marseille. His parents had emigrated to Paris from northern Algeria in 1953 before the start of the Algerian War. Zidane grew up hoping to emulate the feats of famous Marseille players Enzo Francescoli and Jean-Pierre Papin.
2 Cannes do for Zizou
Zidane began his professional career at Cannes in 1989 and in his first full season the club finished fourth and qualified for the Uefa Cup. He also played for Bordeaux before moving to Italy with Juventus, where he won successive Serie A titles.
3 Bernabeu bound
In 2001 Real Madrid paid a then world record 75m euros to take Zidane to Spain, where he won the La Liga and Champions League titles as part of the Galacticos – the world stars who included the likes of Luis Figo, Ronaldo and David Beckham.
4 World star
Zidane won both the World Cup and European Championship with France. In the 1998 World Cup final he scored two goals in the 3-0 win over favourites Brazil on home soil.
5 Disciplinary problems
Zidane is infamously known for head-butting Italy’s Marco Materazzi in the chest in the 2006 World Cup final. Lesser known id the fact he had form, having been sent off for head-butting Hamburg’s Jochen Kientz in a Champions League tie in 2000.
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David Beckham has had his say on Zidane’s appointment via Instagram...
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James Riach has been pondering whether the risky appointment of Zidane to replace Benítez is offset by the extraordinary amount of goodwill the former Galáctico commands...
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More now from Zidane on his new job. “Working hard with ALL the players”. Hmm
“I want to thank the club and thank the president for giving me the opportunity to train this club. It’s the best club in the world with the best fan-base in the world. I want to do my very best to ensure that this club at the end of the season will have a trophy. I will be working hard with all the players and I think it will go well. I am looking forward to working with everybody tomorrow. Tomorrow is when the work starts. Thank you to everyone. It is an important day for me, it’s an emotional day, even more emotional than the day I signed as a player for the club. I will put all the heart I have into this job for the club. Thank you very much.”
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Rafael Benítez is often thought of as a defensive manager, and many are suggesting that he never won over the Bernabéu fans because of that. But the stats tell a different story...
Zidane may have limited experience as a manager, never having actually managed, but what a player he was...
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Zidane was Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant in 2014 when Real Madrid won the Champions League and has been coaching Madrid’s “B’’ team in the third division. Zidane was at the Bernabéu with his wife and four kids for tonight’s announcement. “I’m more emotional now than when I signed as a player,” said the 43-year-old, who ended his career at Real Madrid in 2006. It will be the first major coaching job for the former playmaker.
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Zinedine Zidane was unveiled by Florentino Pérez at Monday evening’s press conference. The president said of the club’s legendary former player: “He is clearly conscious of how tough this job is. Zidane doesn’t know the word impossible.”
Rafael Benítez has been sacked by Real Madrid and replaced with Zinedine Zidane. Benítez’s fate was decided at an emergency board meeting on Monday. He will be replaced by club legend Zinedine Zidane with immediate effect.
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