Zinedine Zidane Announces Departure from Real Madrid

Zinedine Zidane stepped down as Real Madrid manager on Thursday less than a week after claiming his third consecutive UEFA Champions League title in the role.

The shock announcement was rumoured when a snap press conference was called Thursday, with Frenchman Zidane subsequently confirming his resignation:

Per Ed Malyon of The Independent, Zidane added it is not necessarily goodbye forever to Real:

"Like I told the president, it could be a 'see you soon' because Madrid has given me everything. I will still be close to the club, but this decision is a clear one that might not make sense to some people, but it is the moment to make a change, for the players as well."

"...I'm not going to coach another team right now. I'm not looking for another team. I think the players need a change, but I should thank them because at the end of the day it's them that fight out there and this is a club of very high expectations.

"We always want more and more; I couldn't ask for more from these players, but now is the time for them to have a different voice in the changing room."

Zidane was only appointed Real boss in January 2016 after Rafael Benitez was sacked. He went on to lead Real to their 11th Champions League triumph, as they beat Atletico Madrid on penalties and finished runners-up in La Liga.

The Frenchman then won a league-and-Champions League double in his first full season in charge and masterminded a third victory in Europe's biggest club tournament in Saturday's final, with Real beating Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev, Ukraine.

After adding two UEFA Super Cups, two FIFA Club World Cups and a Spanish Super Cup, Zidane's trophy haul as Real manager comes to nine in under two-and-a-half years:

The 45-year-old will likely be overwhelmed with offers of work, and the France job could be up for grabs depending on how Les Bleus fare at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, per French football writer Robin Bairner:

Suggestions for Zidane's replacement range from Chelsea boss Antonio Conte to former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:

Whoever it is will have huge shoes to fill given what Zidane achieved in his short time in charge at the club.

Despite having only held a senior managerial role for fewer than three years, he matched the achievements of Bob Paisley and Carlo Ancelotti by winning the Champions League three times. He eclipsed the likes of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough in that regard.