Luis Enrique ceases to be Spain coach and Luis de la Fuente will be his replacement

The Spanish Football Federation has decided not to renew Luis Enrique's contract as coach, which expired at the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar.

With the unexpected elimination of Spain in the round of 16 against Morocco, events have precipitated.

The coach did not travel to Barcelona on his return from Doha and, during a conversation with the federation's sports director, José Francisco Molina, he told him that he would no longer lead the team.

The decision ends the cycle that began in September 2018, interrupted for almost a year due to the illness and subsequent death of Luis Enrique's youngest daughter.

The continuity of Luis Enrique was in the air since a year ago he rejected a renewal offer from the federation.

The parties agreed to meet at the conclusion of the World Cup and decide.

The relief will be taken by the current U-21 coach, Luis de la Fuente, who has beaten Marcelino García Toral, who has already been announced by the federation.

🔴 OFFICIAL |

The @RFEF trusts Luis de la Fuente as the new national coach @SEFutbol

✏️ The board of directors must approve the appointment next Monday

🔗 https://t.co/Pj4Wf6McMx#VamosEspaña pic.twitter.com/V3iIvR5EUx

– RFEF (@rfef) December 8, 2022

The federation justifies the decision on the scarcity of offers on the market and on the internal promotion of a coach through whom most of the young players who have debuted in the senior team with their predecessor have passed.

Former Athletic player, with whom he won two Leagues (83 and 84) and a Cup (84), De la Fuente has forged his career as a coach in youth football.

His resume does not include any experience in professional clubs.

He is an affable man, with a low profile, who has nothing to do with the histrionics of the coach from Gijón.

In 2013 he joined the federation and in 2015 he was proclaimed European champion with the under-19 team.

In 2018, he was a gold medalist at the Mediterranean Games with the under-18 team.

Subsequently, in July 2018 he was appointed U-21 coach and a year later, in 2019,

He was proclaimed European champion in Italy winning the fifth gimp for Spain after beating Germany in the final (2-1).

The already absolute coach also achieved Olympic silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The decision means putting an end to the Luis Enrique Club de Fútbol in which the already former national coach has tried to convert the team under an attractive game idea, but also reckless, sustained and reinforced by his self-proclaimed leadership and his strong personality.

After the failures in the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, in the 2016 Euro Cup, the objective of hiring him was to return Spain to the leading positions in major competitions with offensive football and re-engage a disenchanted fans.

With the semifinals reached in the last Eurocup and the runner-up in the League of Nations in 2021, the objectives were satisfied in the absence of, at least, equaling or approaching them in Qatar.

The bump with Morocco has blown everything up.

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