UCL glory as good as winning World Cup, says Real boss Zidane

By foxsports
Published

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane declared winning the Champions League as great an achievement as lifting the World Cup.

Real claimed their 11th European Cup with a 5-3 victory on penalties at the San Siro, Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the decisive spot-kick after the match had finished 1-1 after extra-time.

Zidane, who only took over from sacked Rafael Benitez in January, has now won the Champions League as both a player and manager for the club and said Saturday's triumph ranked alongside his very finest.

"At the end getting the Champions League is the best along with winning the World Cup," said the Frenchman, a world champion in 1998.

"After all the work we did I am very proud, it has been a phenomenal job. I'm happy because I've been part of this great club for a long time now. I feel really very proud."

Zidane took over with the club in difficulties but managed to finish the season on a high after domestic disappointment, although questions still remain about his long-term future at the Bernabeu.

"The future? We'll see, now let's enjoy this," he added.

"Of course I dreamed. You always have to dream, think positive, be optimistic, and know that things can get done with work and effort.

"I'm very happy for everything we've achieved together. It's not easy at all. We've really worked hard, fought it out.

"When you have players of this caliber, with this talent, you can achieve something big like we have tonight."

Zidane becomes only the seventh man to win Europe's premier club competition both as a player and coach and admitted his previous boss Carlo Ancelotti - another member of that elite group - had backed him to triumph.

"Ancelotti told me he hoped I'd be able to lift (the trophy) as a head coach," Zidane said after the match.

"He was right, it's a massive joy. I'm empty, but it's all positive. When you achieve what we've achieved all season it means you've done well, that the messages have got through, that the players have followed me, that I've followed them and that's how we've managed to win this Champions League."