Ex-France International, Claude Makelele, has said that Real Madrid has been successful under Zinedine Zidane because ‘he puts himself at the same level’ as his players.
Makelele, who began his coaching career at Real Madrid like Zidane, told Goal.com: “Everybody says his achievements are crazy. No, he is a good manager! He understands football, he understands the players. He puts himself at the same level as them.
“He tells them that I can’t teach you to be like me, just tactically you need to do this, do this, do this. Of course, the players understand him.
“Also he gives Ronaldo the freedom to play. He says you have quality; just tactically, Zinedine cleans up some things.
“Sometimes you don’t get the result but that’s normal. Football is not just winning all the time. The players give him everything, nobody is thinking about himself. It is not easy but it is home for him. It is leadership.”
Makelele left Real Madrid as a junior coach in 2015 after the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti.
He is now assistant manager at Swansea City, after completing a playing career which included spells at Real and Chelsea.
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