Julian Nagelsmann reveals why he turned down move to Real Madrid in 2018

Nagelsmann was in charge of Hoffenheim when Zidane left the Benabeu in 2018 and the Whites wanted to see the German as their next head coach back then. 

He rejected Madrid's approach because he wasn't ready for the job.

"I said that it made no sense at the time," RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann said in an interview with Sport Bild of rejecting Real Madrid's offer in 2018.

"It would only have been three weeks until the start of training, I could barely speak Spanish. That would not have been enough for me or Madrid."

Nagelsmann was at the helm of Hoffenheim back then. The German has gone on to join RB Leipzig in 2019. He reached the CL semi-final in his first season in charge of the Red Bulls.

Nevertheless, the 33-year-old doesn't see himself among the world's best managers yet.

"I see myself as a talented coach who would like to advance to the best and still has a lot of development potential," Nagelsmann added.

"I don't have to be world coach of the year at some point, but I would like to be named one of the best coaches one day.

"If you want to get to the top shelf, you have to win something. Apart from the Under-19 Bundesliga [at Hoffenheim in 2013-14], I don't have any titles."