Kylian Mbappe wants Zinedine Zidane back at Real Madrid. Not Jurgen Klopp. According to Football365, the French forward is "not convinced" by the idea of appointing the German coach and is actively hoping the club turn to his compatriot for a third stint instead.
It's a notable intervention — players don't usually get to veto manager appointments, but Mbappe isn't a usual player. When the most expensive footballer on your squad has a preference, boardrooms tend to at least listen.
Klopp is on the radar, but it's far from done
Fabrizio Romano confirmed this week that Klopp's name does come up internally at Real Madrid, while being clear that nothing is close to advanced. "Real Madrid have many people in the board who really appreciate Klopp," Romano said, "but first they need to understand whether Klopp really wants to return to the daily job of a manager."
That's the real question. Klopp took the Head of Global Soccer role at Red Bull in January 2025 after leaving Liverpool. It's a comfortable, high-level position with none of the match-to-match pressure. Stepping back into a dugout — especially one as demanding as the Bernabéu — would be a significant change of direction.
Real Madrid are in this situation because the season has fallen apart. They sacked Xabi Alonso in January and brought in Alvaro Arbeloa as a stop-gap. With LaLiga and the Champions League both slipping away, Arbeloa is widely expected to leave in the summer, making the manager search the defining decision of the club's off-season. The wrong call here could cost them another campaign — and in betting markets, the identity of Real Madrid's next coach will shape their title odds significantly going into 2025-26.
Mbappe's own season complicates his leverage
There's an irony in Mbappe lobbying for a particular coach. In 98 appearances for Real Madrid, he's scored 84 goals and contributed 11 assists — strong numbers on paper. But he hasn't won LaLiga or the Champions League since joining as a free agent in 2024. Whatever influence he has in the boardroom, his on-pitch results haven't yet backed up the star billing.
Zidane, for his part, has two La Liga titles and three consecutive Champions League trophies from his previous two spells. The track record is undeniable. Whether he has any interest in returning is a separate matter entirely — and Real Madrid haven't confirmed any contact.
Mbappe praised Klopp's Liverpool effusively back in 2020, calling them "like a machine" and crediting the manager directly. That was then. Apparently, admiration from the stands doesn't translate to wanting him in your technical area.
