Nagelsmann reveals Real Madrid called him in 2018 and he turned them down Real Madrid It wasn't the right time

When Real Madrid were looking for a new coach to replaced Zinedine Zidane after the Frenchman departed in 2018, they spoke to Julian Nagelsmann.

That's according to the 32-year-old coach, who has explained why he turned them down.

"It's normal if Real Madrid call you, you think about it," he said in an interview with The Independent.

"I was surprised at first.

"I weighed it up and I didn't feel comfortable with a decision to go there.

"I want to improve.

"If you go to Real Madrid, there's no time to improve as a manager.

"You don't have a chance to be a better manager, you already have to be the best.

"I'm not the best now, but I can admit I want to be one of the best in future.

"If you go to Real Madrid or Barcelona, the fans, the media and the decision-makers don't give you the time to grow into that.

"They only want to see victories every game, titles, Champions League trophies.

"If you don't win, you can't say 'but I'm still young, I'm still developing'.

"It's not that easy in football to plan a career, because it is so unpredictable, but you have to try.

"The main thing is to make the right steps, not the biggest steps.

"Real Madrid is probably one of the highest steps you can take so I thought 'you turn 31, go to Real Madrid and where to do you go from there?'"

The German also explained that he wouldn't have felt comfortable taking over at Real Madrid without speaking good Spanish.

"The other thing is that language is very important to me," he said.

"I like to communicate, I'm very expressive with my players.

"I can't speak Spanish yet.

"I can only say 'hola, que tal'.

"So it was the biggest step, but not the right step."