The new season 2024-2025 has begun in most of the major European leagues, and many top coaches remain out of work, either after the end of their contracts with their clubs last season or because they have been without a job for quite some time. Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, the former head coach of Real Madrid, is one of the most notable coaches who has been without a position since leaving the club for the second time in the summer of 2021, when Italian Carlo Ancelotti took over. Below, we highlight the prominent coaches absent from the coaching scene this new season:
1. **Zinedine Zidane**
The French coach has not taken a position with any club or national team since leaving Real Madrid in the summer of 2021. Despite receiving various offers since departing from the royal club, he has declined them, insisting on a chance to coach the French national team, which has yet to materialize.
2. **Xavi Hernandez**
He left his position at FC Barcelona during the current summer after spending two and a half years with the Catalan club due to conflicts with the club administration. Although he initially agreed to continue for the new season, he was eventually dismissed due to differing opinions.
3. **Massimiliano Allegri**
He departed from Juventus just before the end of the last season, specifically after the team won the Coppa Italia against Atalanta. Following a controversial incident during the cup final, the club's management decided to end his tenure.
4. **Thomas Tuchel**
The former head coach of Bayern Munich is still without a new position after leaving the Bavarian club, which ended up with a trophyless season. He was considered a potential candidate for the managerial role at Manchester United if Dutch coach Erik ten Hag were to leave.
5. **Joachim Löw**
The former head coach of the German national team has continued to be absent from coaching since leaving his position after Euro 2020, which took place in the summer of 2021 due to the pandemic. Despite being on the radar of several clubs and national teams for potential vacancies, he has not secured a new job yet.
6. **Gareth Southgate**
He stepped down as head coach of the England national team after losing the Euro 2024 final to Spain, 2-1. Having held the position since 2016, he failed to win any titles with the Three Lions and lost two finals in the European Championship.
7. **Maurizio Sarri**
He left his position as head coach of Lazio in the latter part of last season due to disagreements with the club's management regarding preparations for the new season. This has left the former coach of Napoli, Chelsea, and Juventus away from the coaching scene for an extended period.
8. **Rafa Benitez**
The veteran Spanish coach remained unemployed after leaving Celta Vigo before the end of last season, having stayed with the team until the end of the season to compete for survival in La Liga.
9. **Sérgio Conceição**
He left his role as head coach of FC Porto during the current summer after spending seven seasons with the team. He was among the leading candidates to take over at Marseille before Italian Roberto De Zerbi was appointed as the new head coach after leaving Brighton.
10. **Eden Terzic**
He departed from his position as head coach at Borussia Dortmund after leading the team for two seasons, leaving following the team’s loss to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final last season with a score of 2-0.
