Germany head coach Joachim Low has emphatically ruled out the prospect of succeeding Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid manager.
The World Cup winner of 2014 has been among the names most prominently linked with the vacancy at the Santiago Bernabeu after Zidane’s shock announcement of his departure yesterday, less than a week after he had led Madrid to a third successive Champions League title.
Last month Low extended his contract with the German football federation to 2022 and, as Arsenal discovered when they considered him a potential candidate to follow Arsene Wenger, he will not consider a job before the World Cup is over.
Indeed even a return to club football after the tournament is off the table for the former Austria Vienna and Fenerbahce manager.
"I can completely rule that out, that is not an issue,” Low said at a press conference.
"Real Madrid will certainly find a very good replacement for Zinedine Zidane. But I am at the World Cup now."
Low’s emphatic statement contrasts with those of another front-runner, Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, who declared himself “very happy” with his current side but conceded “when Real Madrid call you, you have to listen to them.”
