Zinedine Zidane 'Snubs' Cristiano Ronaldo While Naming 3 Real Madrid Players Who Impressed Him

• Zinedine Zidane has outlined the three players who impressed him the most during his time as manager of Real Madrid
• He listed Ballon d'Or award winners, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric, as well as German midfield maestro, Toni Kroos
• The trio Zidane mentioned are among the greatest players in Real Madrid's storied history, winning multiple accolades

Real Madrid legend, Zinedine Zidane, appeared to snub Cristiano Ronaldo when identifying the three players who impressed him the most during his managerial tenure at the club.

The Frenchman's first stint with Los Blancos was from 2016 to 2018, during which he achieved an unprecedented three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles and other titles.

Zizou returned to the helm in 2019 and led the team to victories in La Liga and the Supercopa de España over the following two years.

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When asked to identify the players who impressed him the most during his managerial career at Real Madrid, Zidane named Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Karim Benzema.

Speaking on his three picks, Zidane praised their remarkable ability to maintain possession for extended periods during matches.

"Players who impressed me the most as a coach? When you see Kroos, Modrić, and Benzema playing for you for an hour without losing a single ball, that is football," he said via Madrid Xtra.

A surprising omission from his list was the Portuguese veteran, Ronaldo, still regarded as one of the Spanish club's best ever.

How Zidane's selections fared at Real Madrid

The trio Zidane mentioned are among the greatest players in Real Madrid's history, per Sportskeeda.

Benzema, the second-highest scorer for the club with 354 goals, trails only Cristiano Ronaldo, who netted 450 times.

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The Frenchman also contributed 165 assists in 648 matches before departing as a free agent in 2023.

Kroos tallied 28 goals and 99 assists in 465 appearances for Los Blancos before retiring this summer.

Modric, meanwhile, has scored 39 goals and provided 86 assists in 234 games for Real Madrid. He shares the title of the club's most decorated player with Nacho Fernandez, each boasting 26 trophies.

Zidane predicts greatness for Mbappe

Sports Brief earlier reported on Zidane's bold prediction about Kylian Mbappe following the latter's sensational free transfer to Real Madrid.

The French superstar ended his seven trophy-laden seasons at Paris Saint-Germain this summer, opting against an extension of his contract.