Luis Enrique opens up on his future as Spain manager after World Cup exit

The former Barcelona and Roma manager’s contract with the Spanish national team expires at the end of the year.

Spain manager Luis Enrique doesn’t expect any discussions over his future with the national team to begin until next week at the earliest.

The 52-year-old’s reported €1.5 million-a-year contract is up at the end of 2022. Luis Rubiales, the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, has stated his desire to extend the agreement in the past.

However, upon seeing Spain crash out of the World Cup in a disappointing last-16 defeat to Morocco on Tuesday, Enrique is staying coy about his future for now.

“Right now I’m looking forward to getting home to see my family and my dogs and be with them. I suppose that from next week, when the president [Luis Rubiales] considers it timely, we’ll talk about what the future can bring,” the manager said after the match at the Education City Stadium.

“Right now that means nothing to me because we need to assimilate this disappointment and deal with it in the best way.”

No ha podido ser, lo hemos intentado pero no ha sido suficiente. Sentimos no haberos dado una alegría… así es el fútbol y la vida…a levantarse. pic.twitter.com/QXpl2ZlPu8

— LUISENRIQUE (@LUISENRIQUE21) December 6, 2022

Luis Enrique takes responsibility for World Cup exit

Despite dominating possession and pinning Morocco back for long periods of the last-16 tie, Spain couldn’t get a goal. The match finished 0-0 after extra time and went to penalties, which Morocco won 3-0.

Moroccan keeper Yassine Bounou saved two penalties from Spain midfielders Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets, while Pablo Sarabia hit the post. Achraf Hakimi bagged the winning penalty kick for Morocco.

“The responsibility is mine,” Enrique said of the defeat.

“I chose the first three penalty takers, who were those I thought were the best specialists on the pitch. We didn’t even get to the fourth. Bounou is a spectacular goalkeeper in this aspect; he has a high percentage of going the right way. He was great.”

Tuesday’s defeat was Spain’s third round of 16 exit in four World Cups and their second consecutive shootout defeat in the last-16 stage, having lost to Russia in 2018 from the spot as well.