SHOWS: SAINT-DENIS, FRANCE (FILE MARCH 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.

SPAIN COACH JULEN LOPETEGUI DURING TRAINING 2.

VARIOUS OF SPAIN TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS DUESSELDORF, GERMANY (FILE MARCH 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3.

LOPETEGUI AT SPANISH SQUAD TRAINING SESSION 4.

TRAINING 5.

LOPETEGUI SPEAKING TO PLAYERS MADRID, SPAIN (FILE JUNE 5, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6.

SPANISH SQUAD POSING FOR OFFICIAL WORLD CUP TEAM PHOTO 7.

LOPETEGUI AT PHOTO SESSION KRASNODAR, RUSSIA (FILE JUNE 7, 2018) (SEFUTBOL TV HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL) 8.

SPAIN COACH JULEN LOPETEGUI (LEFT), PRESIDENT OF SPANISH SOCCER FEDERATION LUIS RUBIALES (CENTRE) CAPTAIN SERGIO RAMOS (RIGHT) LEAVING PLANE AFTER IT ARRIVES IN RUSSIA FOR THE WORLD CUP KRASNODAR, RUSSIA (JUNE 12, 2018) (SEFUTBOL TV - ACCESS ALL) 9.

SPANISH PLAYERS TRAINING 10.

LOPETEGUI AT TRAINING MADRID, SPAIN (FILE JUNE 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11.

EXTERIOR OF SANTIAGO BERNABEU STADIUM 12.

STADIUM SIGN KIEV, UKRAINE (MAY 25, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL 13.

FORMER REAL MADRID COACH ZINEDINE ZIDANE AT TRAINING SESSION AHEAD OF THE 2018 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL MADRID, SPAIN (FILE MAY 27, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 14.

REAL MADRID PLAYERS LIFTING THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TROPHY IN THE BERNABEU 15.

CRISTIANO RONALDO AND ZIDANE CELEBRATING THE VICTORY SHOWS: MADRID, SPAIN (FILE APRIL 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 16.

VARIOUS OF LOPETEGUI POSING NEXT TO A GOAL FOR PHOTOGRAPHS STORY: Spain coach Julen Lopetegui will take over as Real Madrid manager on a three-year contract after the World Cup, the European champions said on Tuesday (June 12).

Frenchman Zinedine Zidane stepped down two weeks ago, days after leading Real to a third consecutive Champions League title.

Lopetegui, who last month signed a new contract through to 2020 with Spain, spent three years with Real as a player.

The 51-year-old took over as Spain coach in 2016 following the retirement of Vicente Del Bosque who led his country to victory in the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship.

Spain, unbeaten in 20 games under Lopetegui, play neighbours Portugal on Friday in their opening World Cup Group B match in Sochi, Russia before facing Iran and Morocco.

Former goalkeeper Lopetegui spent a season as coach of Real's B-team Castilla from 2008-09 before taking over as Spain Under-19 manager in 2010.

He enjoyed success with the country's youth sides, winning the 2012 Under-19 European Championship before repeating the feat as Under-21 boss 12 months later.

Lopetegui's forays into club management have been less successful.

He was sacked from a brief spell in charge of Rayo Vallecano in Spain's second division in 2003 and left Portuguese club Porto after failing to win any silverware from 2014-16.