Clermont Foot have announced that Helena Costa has opted not to take up the head coach's position with the team for the 2014-15 season.

The French club confirmed that they had appointed the Portuguese last month, making her the highest-profile female manager to take charge of a men's team in Europe.

However, club president Claude Michy said in a statement on the team's website that the 36-year-old has "decided not the honour her commitments", and that the move was "sudden and surprising".

Costa worked as a youth coach at Benfica and was a scout for Celtic prior to taking up the role with the second-division French side.