Mauricio Pochettino explains how Daniel Levy promise cost him a huge opportunity

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino looks on next to owner Daniel Levy (Image: Chris Brunskill)

Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that a promise made to former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy might just have seen off his chance of becoming Real Madrid boss.

The Argentine was linked with the vacant job in Madrid after Zinedine Zidane left following the Frenchman's first stint at the club in 2018. Pochettino was a hot managerial property as he had begun to really impress with Spurs and turned the north London club into challengers in the Premier League and would later lead them to the Champions League final the next season.

However, when Real came calling so a promise Pochettino made to Levy, who departed his role at Spurs as executive chairman this week, ended up potentially playing its part in scuppering the biggest managerial move of his career.

"As a player, I had the chance to play for Madrid , but it didn't happen. As a coach, I had a couple of opportunities, but sometimes, that's how things happen in football," the now USA boss said in an interview with Chiringuito TV.

"I don't know whether to tell the story or not. Zidane is leaving and logically there's the possibility of signing for Real Madrid. Surely other coaches too. I had given Levy my word that I would stay until Tottenham's new ground was finished. At that moment I told him that I would go to Madrid if Levy gave the OK. I don't know what happened afterwards. Surely he didn't give the OK."

Pochettino added: "I don't know how Florentino Perez took it; it wasn't my fault. I wasn't out of contract. But it's never too late if the luck is right."

In the end Julen Lopetegui was appointed as the new coach of Real Madrid but lasted for only a brief spell before Zidane returned towards the end of that season. Pochettino would remain at Tottenham for another year until Levy sacked him just months after reaching that Champions League final, ironically in Madrid.