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Zinedine Zidane has called for an impromptu press conference at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground – and you can follow live updates and the latest breaking news with The Independent’s live blog.
The 45-year-old has won three Champions League trophies since taking over from Rafael Benitez in January 2016 as well as a league title in 2016/17. It has been a historically successful stint in charge of the Bernabeu club for the rookie coach, becoming the first manager in Champions League history to defend the trophy, in Cardiff last June, before adding a third consecutive win in Kiev last Saturday night.
Sources at Real Madrid have been kept in the dark over the reason for any press conference but suggested that a press conference for a new contract would likely have taken place in the presidential suite at the Santiago Bernabeu. Club employees are usually made aware of new contracts so that they can prepare content for social media and the website.
Zidane was locked in a meeting with club president Florentino Perez on Thursday morning, sources close to the club told The Independent. Follow all of the latest below.
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load.
↵Zinedine Zidane has announced that he will be spending some time away from the game, but you can be sure there will be a wide array of clubs looking to tempt him back into management sooner rather than later.
Here's a look at some of the clubs he could end up at:
Wondering how involved Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos were in ZZ's decision?
Wonder no more...
What do Gavin and Stacey, The Office and Zinedine Zidane have in common? They all knew to quit when ahead.
I think the decision to resign now, after three successive European titles (there's something symmetrically pleasing about this, wouldn't you say?), will only further cement his legend. Despite the (ridiculous) criticism he's faced for only securing one La Liga title during his time at Madrid, Zidane will go down in history at the club. Unlike the cheeky chappy below, fans will only look back on Zidane's career with a smile on their face - and what an achievement that is.
So, what exactly did Zidane achieve during his time in charge of Real?
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
UEFA Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
UEFA Super Cup: 2016, 2017
FIFA Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
From dressing room division to serial winners:
The Frenchman took over a divided dressing room after the sacking of Rafael Benitez in January, 2016 and immediately set about uniting the squad.
He claimed the first of his hat-trick of European triumphs two years ago when Real defeated local rivals Atletico Madrid on penalties in the final. A year later he led Real to their first European Cup and La Liga double in 59 years.
Real finished three points ahead of Barcelona as they won their first league title since 2012 before crushing Juventus 4-1 in the Champions League final to become the first side to win the competition in its current format in back-to-back seasons.
Zidane won nine major honours as Real coach and the 45-year-oldâs crowning glory came last Saturday as he joined an elite group of managers including Bob Paisley and Carlo Ancelotti by lifting the European Cup for the third time as coach.
Real Madrid clearly like their north London football...
Arsene Wenger has emerged as the bookmakers favourite for the Real top job, just slightly ahead of Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino! More on that here:
Something new now on how Zinedine Zidane bade Real Madrid farewell in the same way he coached them, with a serene authority that will be hard to replace:
Sports Editor Ed Malyon, who covered Zidane's first season while living in Madrid, has written a wrap of that press conference, what it means, and what happens next.
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