In a stunning announcement made just two days before its country’s first World Cup match against Iberian rival Portugal, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) fired Coach Julen Lopetegui over his decision to take the head-coaching job at Real Madrid without first informing the country’s soccer officials.
“We have been forced to dispense with the national coach. We wish him the greatest of luck,” RFEF President Luis Rubiales told reporters at the team’s World Cup training headquarters, per the Guardian. “The negotiations have occurred without any information to the Spanish FA and we were informed just five minutes before the press release.