Zero prior LaLiga experience and a mountain of expectation behind him has done little to deter Zinedine Zidane in daring to achieve the improbable.
Arguably greater players than the former France international have struggled to recapture their past glories after trading the turf for the technical area; Diego Maradona and Michael Laudrup are just two in an ever-growing list.
Not everyone can be like Johan Cruyff, but Zidane is already proving that separating the player from the coach within is an impossible task, and for good reason after continuing to make that successful transition.
Fittingly, his latest landmark achievement was realised in Barcelona on Sunday evening. It may not have been at the Camp Nou but Los Blancos' 2-0 win over Espanyol extended their LaLiga record to 16 consecutive wins.
Equalling the tally set by the Azulgranas' class of 2010/11 was also symbolic as its mastermind was similarly accused of lacking the necessary expertise to excel at the highest level of Spanish and European football.
It is clear to see why Zidane does not welcome such comparisons with Pep Guardiola, as he outlined during an inaugural address at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, despite both winning the Champions League in debut seasons.
Greater parallels exist closer to home in two of Real's first three European Cup-winning coaches; Jose Villalonga and, more pertinently, Miguel Munoz - the latter whose LaLiga record has finally been usurped by the current crop.
Had he inherited a better hand from Rafa Benitez's shambolic tenure, namely a smaller points deficit in LaLiga and a Copa del Rey place, Guardiola's 2009 treble with Barcelona may have been eclipsed in a mere five months.
But Zidane has always had to do it the hard way. He has been derided at every turn by those who consider coaching Real to be little more than a mean feat.
Luck and drawing on the brilliance of his BBC front line have been the most common complaints against the man who salvaged a season spiralling precariously towards a fruitless finale under his ignominious predecessor.
At the Estadio Cornella-El Prat, however, Zidane disproved the doubters. Without Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to call upon, Real were able to respond to Casemiro's first-half withdrawal by becoming more disciplined.
Lessons had clearly been learned from the midweek ordeal against Sporting CP as he deployed Lucas Vazquez and Marco Asensio to double up in attack to restrict Espanyol during an encounter which threatened to turn scrappy at times.
There is a reason Real are edging ahead at LaLiga's summit and it's not luck. In time, Zidane's tactical nous may receive a greater appreciation. Until then, his efforts to silence those who have dismissed him will continue apace.
