Zidane's voice isn't the loudest: Varane reveals his qualities

He offers advice, not instructions.

Nearly five years under Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid handed Raphael Varane a rare chance to study the methods of France's new coach up close.

Speaking to the newspaper "Ouest-France", the 2018 World Cup winner explained the role Zidane will bring to the France national team's technical staff, and what marks him out from other coaches.

Varane said: "You do not talk to Zidane in the same way you talk to the players, but you feel that he understands you as if he were still playing. He wants the players to embrace his style without imposing his will on them."

He added, as reported by "Foot Mercato": "Zidane offers advice more than instructions. That is why he relies heavily on his intuition, as well as on the players' feelings. Zidane's voice is not the loudest, but it is listened to. The concept of enjoyment remains central to his approach. He uses direct and simple language."

Varane continued: "He relies on just a few messages, and gets straight to the heart of the matter. He seeks efficiency."

Behind that apparent calm, though, Zidane knows how to raise his voice when the moment demands it. "This does not mean that he lacks personality or that he never gets angry," the former Real Madrid defender said. "Clearly, there are situations in which he needs to shake things up a little, but that is not what defines his general approach. He has the ability to put players in the best possible conditions."

He concluded: "Sometimes, it might just be a simple adjustment in defensive positioning, as was the case with Cristiano Ronaldo or Isco, who played hybrid roles between attack and defence at Real Madrid. He has the ability to identify the team's needs, the weaknesses, and to deploy them in a way that suits each player's strengths."