Luis Enrique has not signed a new contract with Spain in the event of failure at the World Cup
Luis Enrique explained his reason for not signing a new contract as Spain coach so that he would be easy for him to leave if La Roja disappoint at the World Cup. The 51-year-old former Barcelona player and manager returned for his second term in charge of the Spain senior team in November 2019.
Five months earlier, he had resigned for “family reasons” which were later confirmed to be linked to his young daughter with cancer. She passed away in August 2019. When Luis Enrique made his return to the Spanish setup, he only signed a three-year contract which would keep him in charge until the end of the 2022 World Cup.
Since then he has led Spain to Qatar 2022 and presided over La Roja’s run to the Euro 2020 semi-finals, impressing neutrals throughout the tournament. However, despite what has been a largely positive stint at the helm, there remains some doubt over Luis Enrique’s futurewhich he was refreshingly honest.
Asked why he has yet to sign a new contract beyond the World Cup, Luis Enrique, who was recently linked to Manchester United, said: “I’m in heaven. I’m not renewing, I did it for you [the media]. As I won’t have a contract [after the World Cup]if things go wrong at the World Cup, you won’t have to ask for me to be fired.”
But its fun frank answer was qualified by an insistence that there is no problem between himself and Luis Rubiales or Jose Molina, respectively president and sports director of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). “I feel super supported by both the president and Molina“, continued Luis Enrique. “They signed me not once but twice. In the circumstances in which I returned, I will never forget it. I will fulfill my commitment, that is, until after the World Cup.”
Spain’s preparations for the World Cup continue with a friendly against Albania on Saturday at Espanyol’s RCDE stadium in Cornella de Llobregat, near Barcelona. It will be Spain’s first game in Catalonia for 18 yearshaving last played in the region in February 2004 for a friendly match with Peru at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium.
La Roja and Catalonia have had a rocky relationship over the years, but Luis Enrique is excited for such an important occasion. He said: “It’s gonna be a party. I hope we are at this level. Eighteen years is a long time… We already know the circumstances surrounding this type of occasion, but we face it with great enthusiasm. I took it for granted that [the stadium] was going to be full. The last time I played [for a Spain team] in Barcelona, it was the final of the [1992] Olympics and it was sold out. It was one of the best games of my life for the gold medal. I have no doubt, I hope we can make it, make it a party.”