Real Madrid are preparing for life without Carlo Ancelotti as the Italian icon is set to leave the Spanish giants next season. With the 64-year-old's contract ending in the summer of 2024, he is set to manage Los Blancos for the final campaign before departing to take over the Brazil national team.
As a result, the 14-time UEFA Champions League winners have begun the search for his successor, and according to the Daily Mail, Florentino Perez has shortlisted four former players to replace Ancelotti. One of the candidates is one of the most successful Real Madrid managers in recent history.
That man is Zinedine Zidane, the legendary Frenchman who led the Spanish giants to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles during his first spell in charge at the Bernabeu. The 1998 World Cup winner would return for a second spell between 2019 and 2021, winning La Liga for a second time, before eventually departing.
Despite his illustrious CV, Zizou remains unemployed since his Real Madrid exit. The former midfielder has constantly been linked with the France national team job, which could be a roadblock should Perez decide to rehire the 51-year-old, but Didier Deschamps has managed to remain at the helm of Les Bleus.
Zidane isn't the only candidate. As mentioned earlier, there are three other former players being considered for the job. One of those candidates is Xabi Alonso, who has shown promising signs since taking over Bayer Leverkusen despite their sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga. Under his reign, the German club reached the UEFA Europa League semifinal, losing to runners-up Roma. Raul Gonzalez and Alvaro Arbeloa, both of whom are coaching the youth teams, are also in the running.
Given those aforementioned names, it's hard to look past Zidane given his achievements. Additionally, he is available and would be reuniting with some of his former players, including Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo. Furthermore, the possibility of coaching Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe, who looks set to join the Merengues either this summer or the next, could prove tempting.
As for now, Real Madrid remain focused on the upcoming season as they look to reclaim the UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles. Ancelotti's men are currently preparing for the Soccer Champions Tour in the USA which will see them face European heavyweights AC Milan, Manchester United, Juventus, and Barcelona across California, Texas, and Florida.
The event kicks off in late July and will carry on until early August. For more information on where to watch Los Blancos' USA tour live and their upcoming fixtures, check out our dedicated Real Madrid club page.
