Zinedine Zidane bade Real Madrid farewell in the same way he coached them, with a serene authority that will be hard to replace

The Frenchman blew away expectations in his short spell in charge of the club but couldn't be convinced to stay

As ever with Zinedine Zidane, it was calm and composed.

A surprise appearance before the press to say goodbye, just as he had surprisingly appeared before the press to say hello in the presidential suite of the Santiago Bernabeu in the frozen early days of January 2016. Rafael Benitez had not even been informed of his sacking as Zidane was presented to the world, the rookie manager with a glittering past, paraded in a powder blue jacket as the vision of an exciting future.

Two-and-a-half years later and with no troubles weighing him down, just the nine trophies he'd accrued over a frightfully short period in charge of the world's biggest club, Zidane was ready to say adiós - or should that be 'hasta pronto'?

This time he was a lot more ready than that nervy winter morning at the Bernabeu, conducting himself with a barely-believable serenity given the enormity of what he was about to do. Of the job he was leaving behind.

Most of all this was a decision taken for Zidane himself, with the interests of the team also at its heart.

"What I think is that this team needs to continue winning but I think it needs a change, a different voice, another methodology," he said. "And that's why I took this decision."

That concept of this change facilitating ongoing success was a recurring thread through his patient encounter with the media, an appearance punctuated by many questions - why now? where next? what does it mean? - and as ever Zidane resolutely batted away the answers he didn't want to give.

But the why is clear, in his mind at least.

Zidane repeated many times that it is "the right time... the right moment to change." His persistently stated belief that the players needed a new voice suggests he felt his effect on the squad had dwindled, and with that influence diminishing he clearly felt the chances of winning more silverware were suffering in parallel.

"It's difficult to keep going with things the same, winning three Champions Leagues. I am a winner, I like winning and hate losing. If I have the feeling that I'm not going to win, I'm going to make a change.

"If I don't feel good because I'm not winning, I'll walk out. That's why I took this decision."

And while many point to his three consecutive Champions League titles - an unprecedented achievement - as the sort of success most coaches could only dream of, it was instructive that Zidane highlighted winning La Liga last year, his only league crown, as his best moment in the job.

For elite coaches - from Pep Guardiola to Sir Alex Ferguson - winning the league is perfection because it rewards consistent superiority. Cup competitions are always more prone to unusual winners, where variance plays a big part and unrelated incidents as seemingly innocuous as a volcano erupting in Iceland can change the course of football history.

Zidane is not necessarily as dogmatic as the Manchester City coach to whom he is so often compared, but he might be even more addicted to winning. As a player who knew little else, the prospect of not continuing Madrid's gold rush next year clearly weighed on Zidane more heavily than it would other coaches who would happily soldier on, honoured to simply still be in the hot seat and enjoying the radiant glow of historic continental success.

Indeed, perhaps the Frenchman's close relationship with the club - another recurring theme of the press conference - gave him the confidence he needed to be able to say enough was enough for now where other coaches never could. It feels like there is little doubt there will always be a door open for the 45-year-old World Cup winner, and in the darkest moments of his successors they will look up and realise that the chill hanging over them might just be Zizou's shadow, cast long over the Bernabeu dugout.

Failing to even challenge for La Liga this season weighed heavily on Zidane, as did the embarrassing Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of cross-town minnows Leganés - a result picked out by the Frenchman as his lowest point as coach.

Leganes celebrated a surprise 2-2 aggregate victory over Real Madrid on away goals in January (Getty)

But even without Zidane in charge, Real Madrid will be back. And even without Real Madrid in his life for a few years, there appears to be little doubt that Zidane will be back too.

Of all the answers given by Zidane in his final appearance as the head coach of Real Madrid there was only one that gave the 45-year-old significant pause for thought.

If you had lost to Liverpool - he was asked - would you still have made this decision?

A long pause followed. "I don't know," he slowly revealed.

"Maybe... maybe."

It was the only bit of indecision in an otherwise resolute performance, one rewarded with a standing ovation by the media.

Zidane has rarely been the most interesting man in the press room but, on his departure, he was clear and concise. His reasoning was solid. His mind was not for changing.

Brought into this club in a hurry in the middle of winter, he leaves at a strolling pace as Madrid's summer begins to break. His time as coach has been characterised by a calmness and intelligence, the coach who could not be rattled despite working under the brightest spotlight in world football. That light will dim for now, but it might never be fully extinguished.