The Spanish football association has fired the coach of its national team. The move comes just hours after Real Madrid announced that it had hired Julen Loptegui as their next head coach.
The Spanish football association (RFEF) announced the sacking of national team coach Julen Lopetegui in a press conference on Wednesday."We thank Julen for everything that he has done, because he is a great person, who is responsible for us being in Russia," the head of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales, said. "However, we must fire him."
"I understand that Real Madrid want to have the best of coaches but the national team belongs to all of Spain and this is not the way to do things," added Rubiales.
Spain Under-21 manager Albert Celades, who is part of the coaching staff with the senior squad in Russia, and director of football Fernando Hierro are two of the possible replacements as head coach heading into the World Cup. Spain play their first Group B match against Portugal on Friday evening.