Zinedine Zidane responds when asked who among Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric he wants to coach again

Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has refused to choose between Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo when asked which player he would like to coach again. The Frenchman went on to name Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos, saying that he has worked with special players and cannot choose just one.

Speaking at the Trento Sports Festival, Zidane praised his Real Madrid players, Isco and Rodrygo, claiming they never lost the ball, much like Modric, Kroos, and Benzema. The former manager was unwilling to name just one player from his side to coach again and said (via MadridXtra):

"Both. I can't answer this question because I liked both of them. Also Kroos, Benzema. I have had some players... uff, incredible. It was incredible to coach them, to see them in training. I had 3, 4 players... You didn't see the ball with them on the pitch. Modrić, Kroos, Isco, Benzema, Rodrygo... they never lost the ball. Incredible."

However, he swiftly picked Modric as the player he would like to go out for dinner with, and then added Kroos. He said that they live a similar lifestyle off the pitch, which was his reason for picking the midfielders.

"Luka Modrić. Yes. Modrić. Kroos too. These guys, so discreet, I like them. They speak on the pitch, outside of it they're calm, with the families. We're very similar."

Zidane was asked if he would be back in the dugout soon after being linked with a Cristiano Ronaldo reunion at Al-Nassr. He admitted that he wants to make a return, emphasizing his desire to become the coach of the France national team. He said (via GOAL):

"I will definitely return to coaching. Me at Juventus? I don't know why it didn't happen. I always have him in my heart because he gave me so much. In the future, I don't know, one of my goals is to coach the French national team. We'll see."

Zinedine Zidane did the UEFA Champions League hat-trick, winning the tournament as the Real Madrid coach in 2015/16, 2016/17, and 2017/18 with Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric in his squad.

When Luka Modric commented on Cristiano Ronaldo

AC Milan midfielder Luka Modric spoke to Rio Ferdinand in 2023 about Cristiano Ronaldo, hailing the former Real Madrid star for his work ethic. He claimed that the Al-Nassr superstar was always hungry for success and said:

"The most special thing about Cristiano Ronaldo? His work ethic. He always wants more and more. He's never happy with what he does. This is amazing. The demand he put on himself and the team was unbelievable. I think everyone will agree that Cristiano was one of the best, if not the best player for Real Madrid."

Luka Modric played 222 matches with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, combining for 16 goals. Their final match together was the 2018 UEFA Champions League final, where they beat Liverpool 3-1.

Edited by Sripad