Vincent Mannaert puts Zinédine Zidane in charge of the Devils

Vincent Mannaert said that Zinedine Zidane was his first choice to coach the Red Devils last year, after seeing him at the U19 training led by Rik De Mil. This preference, expressed in the context of the national team, ultimately did not materialise.

An idea born from a training stint in Bruges

The project sprouted with the sporting director, a fan of the 1998 Ballon d'Or, during a stint at Club Brugge at the end of the winter of 2015. Christophe Franken, Head of the football section, recalled that “Sports” had followed this anecdote from the start. The memories of that stint remain etched in the minds of the Belgian figures.

A failed candidacy, Garcia chosen

After the dismissal of Domenico Tedesco in January 2025, Mannaert contacted the three‑time Champions League winner, then unattached, for the role. Zidane quickly replied that he was only aiming for the Didier Deschamps position with the Blues. The job was ultimately given to Rudi Garcia, as Castagne points out: “Maybe not a revenge, but we would like to win this time.”

Mannaert was aware that the chances with Zidane were very slim, especially because of the salary demanded. Nevertheless, he wanted to try the experiment, ten years after realizing that the 1998 Ballon d'Or could become a formidable coach.

In February 2015, five Frenchmen – Eric Roy, Claude Makélélé, Willy Sagnol, Bernard Diomède and Zinedine Zidane – arrived at the training centre of Club Brugge. In the presence of Guy Lacombe, they completed their UEFA Pro licence during a two‑day stint. Vincent Mannaert, then general manager of the club, welcomed them alongside Michel Preud’homme and honorary president Michel D’Hooghe.

Michel Preud’homme describes Zidane's move to Bruges

In one anecdote, Zidane turned down a luxurious accommodation in Knokke, preferring to stay with the team on a training camp. « He was then the Real reserve coach, he recalled. I was immediately struck by his humility », Mannaert recalled.

The first day of the stint, the U19s coached by Rik De Mil were handed over to Zidane without the youngsters knowing. « They only found out when Zidane opened the door to their locker room », Mannaert recounts, highlighting the general surprise. The players struggled to touch the ball, but Zidane interrupted the session by saying: « OK, I was a good player but now I’m an apprentice coach who is more nervous than you ». He then expressed his respect for Michel Preud’homme’s work.

Mannaert believes that Zidane may not possess Pep Guardiola’s tactical genius, but he excels as “people manager”, able to unite the stars beyond their egos. This quality, in his view, makes Zidane an ideal candidate for the national team manager role.

Club Brugge, preparing its trip to Aalborg in the Europa League, identified a problem on the Danish left flank. The training session was focused on this issue, and a few days later the team won the match 1‑3 thanks to an explosion on the left side.