Zinedine Zidane explains how he turned a broken Real Madrid team into champions of the Champions League

ballervisions 2026年1月16日

Few managers are as admired by Real Madrid fans as Zinedine Zidane.

Notably, when the Frenchman joined the team in January 2016, the situation was far from stable.

A disappointing run under Rafael Benitez has left the team lacking in confidence and rhythm.

However, what followed was one of the rarest moments in football history, as Zidane guided Real Madrid to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles.

Looking back at his time

Reflecting on his sudden promotion and the initial doubts he faced, Zidane first recalled the moment he stepped into the role and how quickly the truth hit him.

“I remember we were preparing for the match against Ebro, we had the opportunity to train with the first team.

“When I started at Castilla, I had dreams of managing the first team, but after losing three games at the start, I thought that would end.

“I knew I was getting into it. We had the best team in the world.

“I looked at the players and saw that if we work hard we can achieve great things, that happens.

“We didn’t want all training sessions to be the same,” he told Hamidou Msaidie’s YouTube channel, according to AS.

The problems he faced

Zidane then explained the biggest problem he encountered when he took over, stressing that the physical condition and collective effort must be fixed immediately.

“The team was not in a good physical condition, we had to instill in them the idea that they must work as a team.

Zidane made Real Madrid the king of Europe. (Photo credit: GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

I met the four captains and told them what I wanted, to see if they were willing. When they agreed to work, that was it.

“We found their motivation again. We made them run. Physical activity was important.”

Facing derbies

The former Madrid manager also revealed the brutal message he sent to the team when they faced their biggest rivals, Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona.

“I told them that if we play against Atleti or Barça, we will lose 100%.

“In January, we couldn’t beat them, but at the end of the season, we beat them both. Barça in La Liga and Atleti in the Champions League.”

Zidane also opened up about his relationship with the players and why trust was the basis of his success.

“At Real Madrid, we were there because of the players, if you don’t understand that, you can’t stay in this industry.

“If the players don’t agree with everything that’s being offered, the training sessions, all that… something will always be missing. With us, I think they’ve enjoyed it a lot on all levels.”

Confidence within the group

Finally, Zidane explained how confidence and competition within the team were non-negotiable during that golden age.

“We have put a lot of confidence in the players.

“If a competitive player is happy to practice and go out to play, I try to make them see that they are all important.

If they didn’t train well, they couldn’t play. If you know on Monday who will play on Saturday, that’s bad. Players who do not play will not train properly,” concluded the former coach of Real Madrid.