Julian Nagelsmann confirms he rejected Real Madrid’s offer to succeed Zidane

Julian Nagelsmann has revealed he rejected the opportunity to manage Real Madrid following the departure of Zinedine Zidane.

Nagelsmann, 31, guided Hoffenheim to direct qualification for the Champions League last season – a first in the club’s history – after finishing third-place in the Bundesliga, while the season before he masterminded Die Kraichgauer’s fourth-place finish in the league.

The highly sought-after German tactician is now preparing his side for the continent’s premier knockout tournament, but he could have been preparing the European heavyweights for Champions League action had he accepted Los Blancos’ offer.

Incredibly, Nagelsmann will be leaving Hoffenheim at the end of the 2018/19 season, and will become the new head coach of Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig.

Real Madrid and Zidane parted ways at the end of the season, and former Spain coach Julen Lopetegui has since been installed, though in rather acrimonious fashion as his appointment was announced during La Roja’s World Cup preparations.

Nagelsmann has now opened up about the phone call he received from the Spanish capital, admitting he rebuffed the offer as he wanted to continue honing his coaching craft in Germany.

“Madrid called me,” he told 11Freunde.

“Who would hang up the telephone? Universe Football Club doesn’t exist, so there’s no bigger club than Real Madrid.

“But I am 31 years old, I will have another chance. I didn’t want to move countries.”

Nagelsmann is still enjoying his first job in football management having taken the position as Hoffenheim head coach in February 2016, where he has since overseen consecutive top-four finishes in the German top-flight.

The highly-rated young coach has presided over 167 matches across all competitions, winning 93 at a success rate of 55.7%, drawing 38 and enduring only 36 defeats.

Madrid identified a number of high-profile targets to take the reigns at the Bernabau including Mauricio Pochettino, Jurgen Klopp, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri, but few were expecting the appointment of Lopetegui.

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