Zidane, Conte, and 6 Other European Managers Currently Out of Jobs

• The European football leagues are only four games in, and the pressure is already on for some managers
• Football managers are constantly in and out of jobs when things don't go well at their team
• Zinedine Zidane is the most decorated manager without a team since he left Real Madrid

It is easier to sack a manager than change an entire football team when things don't go well for a club, and this is why coaches are constantly in and out of jobs.

For example, 16 Premier League managers were sacked last season, a number Chelsea massively contributed to, having had four different managers last season.

Sports Brief looks at eight top unemployed managers as European leagues are on the international break.

1. Zinedine Zidane

Zidane has been without a job since leaving Real Madrid for the second time in 2021. He has turned down several job offers, including from Paris Saint-Germain, and Goal reported that the three-time UEFA Champions League winner is waiting for the France national team job. His wait could get longer with Didier Deschamps' contract valid until 2026.

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2. Antonio Conte

The Italian manager left Tottenham Hotspur close to the end of last season and is still unemployed, despite links to former clubs Inter Milan and Juventus. His combative nature with club bosses is one major turn-off of the former Chelsea boss, who left all his previous jobs because of beef with the hierarchy.

3. Christophe Galtier

The French manager is a two-time Ligue 1 winner. He won with Lille in 2021 and PSG in 2023. He left the French capital club at the end of last season despite guiding them to the title. The Guardian reported that he is set to stand trial after racism allegations, which could possibly be why he has yet to take up another job.

4. Julian Nagelsmann

Nagelsmann was let go by Bayern Munich in March and was replaced by Thomas Tuchel despite being only a point behind Borussia Dortmund. He immediately had the chance to be Tuchel's replacement at Chelsea, but Mauricio Pochettino was preferred for the role.

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5. Julen Lopetegui

Lopetegui helped Premier League club Wolves avoid relegation last season. However, his relationship grew fractious with the club's board, and he left his position at the start of the season due to differences in opinions, as reported by ESPN.

6. Oliver Glasner

Glasner guided Eintracht Frankfurt to the 2022 Europa League final, beating Barcelona in the semi-final at Camp Nou. He left the club at the end of last season. According to L'Equipe, he is in contention for the vacant managerial position at Olympique Lyon.

7. Ruud van Nistelrooy

The Dutch legend guided PSV Eindhoven to two trophies in a short time, but the lack of investment in the team after the sale of top stars, including Cody Gakpo and Noni Madueke, forced him to leave his role and remain without a job since.

8. Graham Potter

Potter was doing reasonably well at Brighton before Chelsea came calling. A disastrous seven months at Stamford Bridge led to his sacking in March, and he has remained jobless since. He recently turned down the chance to become Lyon's manager.

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Zidane reveals major coaching aspiration

Sports Brief also reported on Zinedine Zidane's major coaching aspiration: to manage compatriot Kylian Mbappe, as he is a player any manager would be interested in coaching.

Regardless of this statement, he turned down the PSG job, and Mbappe ended up staying. It also hinted that his future may lie with the France national team.