Brazil is looking for a replacement for former head coach Tite, who resigned from the post after Selecao’s quarterfinal exit from the FIFA World Cup 2022. The latest name to have been linked to the job is Zinedine Zidane, the 1998 World Cup-winning hero of France.
French newspaper L’Equipe has reported that Brazil has shown interest in Zidane, the former Real Madrid coach, who has also been in the running for the top job with France.
Zidane is the fifth coach who has been linked to the Brazil job after Carlo Ancelotti, the existing Real Madrid coach, and Jose Mourinho, the AS Roma coach. Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel and Rafael Benitez are the others who have been linked to the role.
According to the newspaper, Brazil Football Federation is looking for a foreign coach after the country failed to surpass the quarterfinal stage in two consecutive World Cups in Russia and Qatar. Since Brazil won the World Cup in 2002, it could make the last four only once in the 2014 home World Cup.
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Zidane is currently a free agent since his resignation from Real Madrid in May 2021 and has long been viewed as the successor of France coach Didier Deschamps, who has been at the helm since 2012. Zidane had also been linked to Manchester United before the Premier League club appointed Erik ten Hag.
As a coach, Zidane won three successive Champions League and two LaLiga titles with Real Madrid.