Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid exit shows he'll always surprise us - Christian Karembeu

 

Zinedine Zidane's decision to quit Real Madrid came as a surprise to even his friends, former international teammate Christian Karembeu told ESPN FC and revealed he spoke to the departing head coach in the days before the announcement and had no idea of the decision.

The surprise news came just five days after Zidane led Real Madrid to their third consecutive Champions League under his tutelage, and Karembeu believes Zidane would have kept his decision quiet out of respect for Florentino Perez, the Madrid president.

"I did not know. I spoke to him yesterday, or two days ago," Karembeu told ESPN FC. "Maybe he had taken this decision before the final, I don't know, maybe he talked with some of the players, but I don't know.

"He will always surprise us. We need to have thanks for what he has achieved and will expect him to have a great future. I did not know, maybe secretly he knew because he wanted to make it happen with Mr. Perez, not with us. He had a great respect for him.

"He [Zidane] will always surprise us, but we will always admire him."

     Zinedine Zidane and Christian Karembeu were teammates in France's 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning sides 

Karembeu, who started alongside Zidane in the 1998 World Cup final, knows full well the pressure of Real Madrid. He played for three seasons there, winning two Champions League titles, and left a year before Zidane joined in 2001.

"He [Zidane] remembers the victories but for sure when you are in a club like Real Madrid there is pressure on each decision on the pitch and action, change on the pitch and defeat," Karembeu said. "After three Champions Leagues in a row, and titles he decided to leave. I think it's also a clever decision as it's good timing with these titles. He lived in the dressing room and an environment we don't know about and only he can make this decision."

Karembeu said Zidane will take time to rest and be with his family before deciding on his next step.

"It's not goodbye, it's 'au revoir' meaning he could one day come back to Madrid," Karembeu said.