Spain is appointing former national academy coach Julen Lopetegui to take over from Vicente del Bosque after their Euro 2016 exit against Italy. Lopetegui joins after a stint with FC Porto.
The Spanish football association (RFEF) has announced that Lopetegui, who coached Spain at the U19, U20 and U21 levels, will be the next first team coach of the Spanish national team.
Lopetegui replaces Vicente del Bosque after his eight-year tenure as Spain’s coach, during which time Spain won the European Championship in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2010. The 65-year-old elected to step down after Italy eliminated Spain at the European Championship in France in June.
The 49-year-old Lopetegui has returned to the national team stage after his two-year stint at FC Porto came to an abrupt end earlier this year. Porto reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League in the 2014-15 season, but failed to win a domestic trophy in Portugal. The club sacked him this January for not getting good enough results.
The former Real Madrid goalkeeper won the U21 European Championship as Spain’s coach in 2013, with a side that contained six current Spanish internationals.
Lopetegui is set to be unveiled at a press conference at the RFEF Madrid headquarters later on Thursday.
