Spain have sacked manager Julen Lopetegui just a day before the opening game of the World Cup.
The 51-year-old was yesterday announced as the successor to Zinedine Zidane as manager of Real Madrid.
Last month Lopetegui signed a new deal which was due to keep him in the Spain job until after Euro 2020. According to reports in the Spanish media, Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales felt betrayed by Lopetegui.
Lopetegui sacked!
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) June 13, 2018
At a press conference on Wednesday morning, Rubiales explained the decision.
"We have to decided to fire the national coach. What we have achieved in getting here is due in great part to him, and we must thank him and wish him luck.
"The Spanish national team is the team of all the Spaniards. We only found out just five minutes before that he was leaving for Madrid.
"There is a way that you must act, Julen has worked in a great way with the team, but we cannot accept how he has acted in this case."
Former Spanish international and Real Madrid player, Fernando Hierro, will be in charge when Spain play their opening game of the World Cup on Friday against Portugal in Sochi.
According to a report by Marca earlier in the morning, players had been attempting to convince Rubiales not to sack the manager.
Lopetegui took charge of Spain two years ago, succeeding Vicente del Bosque after an early exit at Euro 2016. Spain had been undefeated during his 20 games in charge.
Picture credit: Shutterstock
