Spain Nat’l coach to take charge of Real after WC

Current Spanish national team coach, Julen Lopetegui, will be Real Madrid's coach after the 2018 World Cup, the Spanish La Liga powerhouse announced on Tuesday on its website.

"Real Madrid C.F. announce that Julen Lopetegui will be the coach of the first team during the next three seasons", the communique said, adding that he "will join the club after Spain's participation in the World Cup, after two years leading the national team".

The 51-year-old Lopetegui, has been in charge of the national team for two years and signed in May a two-year extension to continue as Spain coach until 2020.

He made a sole league appearance for Madrid as a player and coached Madrid's feeder club Castilla in 2008 and 2009.

The announcement comes after Zinedine Zidane resigned as Real Madrid coach on June 1 in a surprise announcement after he led the team to the third straight Champions League title.

Zidane, who had been Madrid's coach for two and a half seasons, said that the club needed "a change to keep winning".