Under-pressure Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has tipped former team-mate Raul to coach the Spanish giants one day.
Raul is a Real Madrid legend, the striker scoring 323 goals in 741 appearances for the club between 1994 and 2010.
He won 16 major honours with Los Blancos, including six La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies.
Speaking on the 25th anniversary of Raul’s debut for the 13-time European champions, Zidane tipped the 42-year-old – who currently coaches Madrid’s Castilla side – to follow in his footsteps and earn promotion to the top job in the future.
“I played alongside him and he was an important player for this great club,” Zidane said.
“I’m sure he’ll coach Real Madrid one day.”
Away from Real Madrid, Raul earned 102 caps for Spain in a lengthy career that also took in stints with Schalke, Al Sadd and New York Cosmos.
He was announced as Castilla coach in June and has steered them to three wins from 10 matches in Segunda B – Group 1.
Tipping Raul for the top job at the Santiago Bernabeu may raise some eyebrows given Zidane’s currently perilous position.
The former France international returned for a second spell at the club in March but things have not gone to plan thus far.
He took his Madrid side to Istanbul for a Champions League clash with Galatasaray last week following a run of just four victories in 10 outings in all competitions.
A 1-0 La Liga loss at Real Mallorca the previous weekend had heaped the pressure on Zidane, with Jose Mourinho continuing to be linked with a high-profile return to the Spanish capital
They got back to winning ways by beating Gala 1-0 on Tuesday at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium courtesy of Toni Kroos’ deflected strike.
It wasn’t a fluid display by Los Blancos, however, so is unlikely to completely dispel the rumours surrounding his future.
With the Clasico on Saturday cancelled because of political unrest in Barcelona, Madrid have had more time to regroup ahead of their La Liga clash at home to bottom side Leganes on Wednesday.
