Real Madrid have started their search for Zinedine Zidane's replacement - but will face a challenge to lure Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino to the Bernabeu.
Less than a week after leading Real to Uefa Champions League glory for a third straight season with victory over Liverpool in Kiev, Zidane announced his shock departure.
Real president Florentino Perez maintained he had only heard of the head coach's decision to quit late on Wednesday, with Zidane declaring it was "time to go out at the top" at Thursday's hastily-convened press conference.
Following the shock announcement, attention swiftly turned to who would be the man charged with leading the European champions next season as they look to wrestle back domestic dominance.
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Pochettino agreed a new five-year contract with Tottenham last week, but the former Espanyol and Southampton manager is said to be on Real's shortlist.
Following another season of finishing in the top three of the Premier League, Tottenham - set to move back into a new redeveloped home stadium next season - remain determined to see Pochettino at the helm.
It is understood there is no buy-out clause in the terms of Pochettino's new deal and no verbal agreement with chairman Daniel Levy that the 46-year-old could leave should Real Madrid come calling.
Zidane was understood to be under contract at the Bernabeu until 2020.
Real must now start an unexpected recruitment process, with the World Cup on the horizon before embarking on pre-season preparations.
Perez, who sat alongside Zidane on Thursday afternoon, said: "This was a totally unexpected decision, Zidane informed me of his choice yesterday. I thank him for the work he has done."
As well as Pochettino, former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Italian Maurizio Sarri, most recently of Napoli, have all been linked with the high-profile role, as has Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp.
Resolving the futures of Gareth Bale and star striker Cristiano Ronaldo will be priorities for the new manager.
Ronaldo joined the tributes, saying he was "proud" to have played for Zidane, while captain Sergio Ramos said his "legacy will never be erased."
It remains to be seen whether Marseille-born Zidane will opt to take a break from the game or pursue a fresh challenge immediately.
Vacancies at top European clubs are currently limited, but the fallout from this summer's World Cup in Russia might present a first international challenge to Zidane, who stepped up from managing the 'Castilla' B team to replace Rafael Benitez in January 2016.
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
RESULTS
Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari
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Company%20profile
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Results
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 1,000m, Winner: Hazeem Al Raed, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 85,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: Ghazwan Al Khalediah, Hugo Lebouc, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,400m, Winner: Dinar Al Khalediah, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Faith And Fortune, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Only Smoke, Bernardo Pinheiro, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: AF Ramz, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mass, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
Syria squad
Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud Al Youssef, Ahmad Madania.
Defenders: Ahmad Al Salih, Moayad Ajan, Jehad Al Baour, Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Hussein Jwayed, Nadim Sabagh, Abdul Malek Anezan.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Al Mawas, Mohammed Osman, Osama Omari, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ahmad Ashkar, Youssef Kalfa, Zaher Midani, Khaled Al Mobayed, Fahd Youssef.
Forwards: Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah, Mardik Mardikian.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets