Lopetegui appointed Real Madrid manager

The spaniard will take over at Real Madrid following the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. A statement on the club’s official website (realmadrid.com) reads:

“Julen Lopetegui will be the coach of Real Madrid after the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Real Madrid CF announces that Julen Lopetegui will coach the first team for the next three seasons. Julen Lopetegui will join the club after the participation of the Spanish team in the World Cup, after two years leading the national team.”

Lopetegui’s coaching career includes spells with Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid Castilla, Spanish youth teams and FC Porto. He is the current handler of the Spanish national team. Furthermore, he made 61 appearances for Real Madrid Castilla during his playing days. His experience with handling Real Madrid B team was a strong consideration for his appointment, with record breaking Zidane also coming through the ranks.