Spain sacks coach Luis Enrique

DOHA: Luis Enrique was sacked as Spain head coach on Thursday after the team’s elimination in the last-16 at the World Cup, with the country’s Under-21 manager Luis de la Fuente named as his replacement by the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

Spain was beaten on penalties by Morocco after a goalless draw on Tuesday. “The RFEF has chosen Luis de la Fuente as the new (Spain) coach,” the RFEF said in a statement.

“The … RFEF has delivered to the president a report in which it determined that a new project should start for the Spain national team, with the aim of continuing the growth achieved in recent years thanks to the work carried out by Luis Enrique [and the staff]. Both the RFEF president Luis Rubiales and sports director, Jose Francisco Molina, have informed Luis Enrique of the decision.”

The 52-year-old Enrique said after the Morocco match that he was to blame for the defeat.

Enrique, who was first appointed as the Spain coach in 2018, had a contract until the end of the year.