Xabi Alonso retired at the end of last season as one of the greatest midfielders to have ever played the game.

The 35-year-old has enjoyed a glittering career across three of the most prestigious leagues in Europe with Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Alonso has four league titles and two Champions League medals to his name in addition to three major honours as a Spain international.

The deep-lying playmaker was integral to one of the most dominant national teams in recent history, winning back-to-back trophies at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

Alonso has won admirers everywhere he's played the game and will surely continue doing so in whatever awaits in the stage of his life.

The former Real Sociedad man has always been revered for backing up his elegant style on the pitch with a suave off-field persona.

Regularly photographed donning the most stylish of outfits, Alonso certainly wouldn't look out of place wearing a designer suit on the touchline as a manager.

Combine this with his tactical acumen and occasional captaincy as a player, there are few reasons to suggest he couldn't make something of himself in the dugout.

But having recently been presented with an unbelievable chance to kick-start a career in management, Alonso has opted to turn it down.

The Liverpool Echo claims Carlo Ancelotti offered Alonso an immediate opportunity to continue his involvement with the Bundesliga giants as an assistant manager.

The Italian boss has since announced former Bayern defender Willy Sagnol will take the position, though it seems he was his third choice behind Philipp Lahm and Alonso.

"I wanted an assistant who knew the club. I tried to convince Philipp Lahm before the end of the season, I also tried to convince Xabi Alonso. They refused," Ancelotti said.

"Willy suits perfectly, he has the right profile, he has been successful at Bordeaux, and he knows the players like [Kingsley] Coman or [Franck] Ribery, and he will improve our trainer team.”

The Allianz Arena would've been an invaluable place to learn the managerial ropes under one of the most successful men in the business.

But the job would've come with immense pressure to perform from the get-go – a factor that may well have influenced his decision to pursue other avenues.

Regardless of what Alonso does after hanging up his boots, he will likely remain one of the most popular men in football.