Julen Lopetegui
Replacing the legendary Vicente Del Bosque is no easy task, but former Spanish goalkeeper Julen Lopetegui’s time as La Roja’s skipper has gotten off to a strong start. The brief fall of the Spanish national team following the 2010 World Cup title bookended by two consecutive European victories was well-documented, if not overplayed. Nonetheless, a national team manager’s job security is never too secure — so, Lopetegui was hired in 2016 after the Spaniards fell short in the 2016 Euros. His prior managerial experience mostly consisted of work with the Spanish youth system, having seen great success with the U19, U20, and U21 national teams. Gifted with a superbly talented roster, it is up to Lopetegui to bring back the glory days of only eight years ago. If their undefeated campaign in qualification is any indication, La Roja and its young boss are well on their way towards another Copa Mundial triumph.
