Real Madrid appoint Julen Lopetegui: The ex-Barcelona goalkeeper has had questionable success in management but can get best out of Isco
Spain manager is a somewhat surprising replacement for Zinedine Zidane with many knowing little about the former Porto coach
JULEN LOPETEGUI is the surprise name to take on the biggest job in world football.
Not only is the Spaniard set to manage Europe's most successful side, he will be doing so on the back of its most successful period for 60 years.
In many ways, it has shades of David Moyes replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
Zinedine Zidane got the absolute best out of his side in the Champions League, where they won the competition three times in a row without ever truly excelling.
And he leaves behind an ageing squad, whose best years are surely behind them.
So just who is the man Real Madrid have hired to take charge of a summer which will likely see the biggest player overhaul in nearly a decade?
Lopetegui is a former goalkeeper, who played just one match for Real Madrid — back in 1990 — which didn't go too well for him as he conceded three goals in a draw with Athletic Bilbao.
After a stint at Logrones, he moved to Barcelona for three years, playing under Sir Bobby Robson, but made just five appearances.
He retired in 2002, following a five-year stint at Rayo Vallecano and became the Spain Under 17 assistant manager.
Lopetegui's first senior role was with Rayo, where he remained for another five years, before taking the Real Madrid B role.
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But, unlike Zidane, he didn't immediately ascend to the senior role, and instead moved to Spain's youth sides.
And he led a team including Kepa Arrizabalaga — who came close to joining Los Blancos in January — Alex Grimaldo, Suso, Paco Alcacer, Jese and Gerard Deulofeu to U-19 European glory in 2012.
One year later, another star-studded side, with David de Gea, Thiago Alcantara and Alvaro Morata, repeated the trick at U-21 level.
But the star of that team was Isco. He joined Real Madrid that same summer and was heralded as the future at club and international level.
However, while he has shown glimpses of his undoubted talent, there will be hope at board room level that Lopetegui will find the right tactics to potentially build the team around him.
In 2014, he was appointed Porto manager but, in two years, failed to win a single trophy.
He did enjoy a stunning 3-1 victory over Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
However, the return saw the Germans run out 6-1 winners, which was a record defeat for the Portuguese giants.
In the summer of 2016, Lopetegui actually came close to taking the Wolves job after the club fell into new ownership.
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But, in the end, he was given the task of replacing Vicente Del Bosque as Spain manager.
Lopetegui's record at senior level is questionable, but he has a track record of getting the best out of young players, which is something Real Madrid are stocked with.
Last season, they signed Dani Ceballos and Theo Hernandez, but neither got any kind of a look-in.
Like Zidane, he has been brought in simply to train the players, with decision over transfers being made at board level.
The first thing Lopetegui will need to figure out is whether Cristiano Ronaldo will be staying or not.
And he will get a chance to ask him when they meet face-to-face in Russia as Spain play Portugual in their World Cup opener.