SPAIN have confirmed that Vicente del Bosque is stepping down as national team coach.
Del Bosque revealed last week that he had “no intention” of staying on once his contract expires at the end of this month, and his decision has now been made official by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
An RFEF statement read: “Vicente del Bosque will not continue at the front of the national team.”
The statement added that the 65-year-old Del Bosque has accepted an offer to continue working with the RFEF in a yet-to-be confirmed role.
Del Bosque is the most successful coach in Spain’s history, leading his country to victory at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 while winning over 75 per cent of his 114 matches.
Spain recorded 87 wins, 10 draws and 17 defeats, while scoring 254 goals and conceding 79.
His final game in the hotseat was last Monday’s Euro 2016 last-16 clash against Italy, where a 2-0 defeat saw the holders knocked out.
The former Real Madrid coach, who replaced Luis Aragones after Spain won Euro 2008, remained quiet when quizzed about his future in the immediate aftermath of that loss but revealed on Thursday that he was not going to continue.
He said it was a decision he had made some time ago and that he was also going to retire from coaching.
Several names have already been mooted as possible replacements, with former Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla boss Joaquin Caparros among the early frontrunners.
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