Varane describes Zidane's method, leadership that charms the Blues

In the Real Madrid dressing room, as the neon lights illuminated the rows of trophies, Raphaël Varane, 2018 World Cup champion, told Ouest‑France about the two periods he lived under the management of Zinedine Zidane, from 2016 to 2018 and then from 2019 to 2021, and analyzed what the new manager of the Bleus could bring to France.

Zidane's method

Varane describes Zinedine Zidane's distinctive approach. He favours advice over instructions, seeks the players' buy‑in without imposing, and relies on his instinct as much as on the group's feeling.

“You don’t talk to Zizou as you would talk to a player, but you get the impression that he understands us as if he were still one,” notes Varane. This comment illustrates how the coach listens to individual feelings.

The human and tactical side

Varane reminds that the notion of enjoyment remains at the heart of Zidane's discourse, using simple and direct words that get to the point. He adds that this does not mean the coach lacks character or never gets angry, and that he knows how to raise his voice when the situation requires it.

According to Varane, Zidane sometimes steps in with small adjustments to defensive positioning, as with Cristiano Ronaldo or Isco, who occupied hybrid roles between offensive and defensive phases at Real Madrid. These adjustments aim to put each player in the best possible conditions.

He points out that the coach identifies the team's needs, spots the spaces and allocates them to each player's qualities. Varane believes this ability is perfectly transferable to the context of the Bleus.

For the defender, Zidane's human and tactical management could give France a renewed efficiency. He sees this method as a major asset for the future of the Bleus.