Jesús Velasco Tejada will be the next coach of Spain. For over a year, there has been ongoing speculation about the RFEF’s (Spanish Football Federation) interest in the former Barça coach. It is now confirmed that the deal is finalized. The coach from Toledo has completed all the details of his arrival at the Federation. Where he will take over as the new head of La Roja, replacing Fede Vidal. Vidal will lead the team in the World Cup in Uzbekistan, which starts next Saturday, and will step down after the tournament.
With only four days remaining until Spain’s debut against Kazakhstan on Sunday (2:30 PM, Teledeporte), the RFEF appears to be rushing to finalize Velasco’s appointment. What was an open secret has now become official within the Ciudad del Fútbol. On Wednesday, September 4, Velasco met with José Miguel Calle, head of the National Futsal Committee, alongside the committee’s secretary Paco Sedano and the director of the First and Second Divisions, Javier Lorente.
Sources within the RFEF confirmed that this was not Velasco’s first visit. When the Spanish team departed for Tajikistan on September 1 to continue their World Cup preparations before heading to Uzbekistan, Velasco’s presence at the Federation was less conspicuous but still noted. The future Spain coach toured the facilities and engaged in a lengthy conversation with Albert Canillas, the head of the Under-19 team.
Senior Team
Interestingly, Canillas took charge of the senior team exactly a year ago when Fede Vidal went on medical leave on September 9 due to health issues, which the RFEF did not disclose amidst the controversy involving former president Luis Rubiales. Vidal was on medical leave for five months following surgery. During his recovery, he remained uninvolved in the discussions about Velasco’s potential hiring.
While Vidal was absent, Spain qualified for the World Cup under interim coach Albert Canillas. However, when Vidal returned to the bench on February 4 with a significant defeat against Germany, it reinforced the idea of José Miguel Monje, president of the National Futsal Committee, to hire Jesús Velasco as the centerpiece of a new project. A high-ranking federation official even stated, “Even if he beats Brazil 5-0 in the World Cup final, Fede Vidal will not continue.” A match against Brazil would only happen in the semifinals.
Monje has been Velasco’s strongest advocate and has worked since June 2023 to expedite his appointment. The biggest obstacle was Velasco’s contract with Barça, which lasted until June of this year, and the club’s refusal to release him. Then came Rubiales’ controversial resignation in August and Vidal’s health complications in September, along with the RFEF’s interim leadership. Despite these challenges, Monje successfully secured Velasco’s appointment, one of Spain’s most successful coaches.
Futsal World Cup
Despite months of denial and clinging to his contract, Fede Vidal now knows his time as coach is limited. Even if he wins the World Cup. After negotiations, which were widely known, Vidal has accepted and is aware of his replacement. Vidal, who joined the RFEF in March 2010, has 14 years of experience, including roles in the Under-18, Under-19, and Under-21 teams, and as an assistant coach for the senior squad.
In July 2018, Vidal took over the senior team, replacing José Venancio López, who was named sporting director by Rubiales. Notably, López was reassigned in June 2022 to youth development, and Pablo Lozano was also removed as head of the Futsal Committee in a power struggle. López left the RFEF in September 2023 to coach Uzbekistan, the host of the World Cup, and will return to the Federation in October.
Though many expected a coaching change and considered candidates like Miguel Rodrigo or Bruno García, Rubiales surprisingly extended Vidal’s contract in May 2022 until the Uzbekistan World Cup, despite Spain’s quarterfinal exit in the 2021 World Cup and semifinal loss in the 2022 European Championship to Portugal.
Vidal’s Future
However, Vidal’s future in the RFEF seems secure. After the World Cup, regardless of the outcome, he will be reassigned within the Federation. Other members of his staff are less certain. One, goalkeeper coach Luis Marimón, chose to leave the Federation and accepted an offer from Kuwait on August 6, during the World Cup preparations. Kuwait had hired Bruno García as their new coach in July.
The future of José Gómez, technical secretary of the International Futsal Department, is also unclear, as he was not informed about Monje’s negotiations. It appears that Javier Lorente will take over as the sporting director of the national team. Lorente and Velasco previously worked together for seven successful seasons at Movistar Inter. Lorente, the former sporting director of the Madrid club and now director of the First and Second Divisions at the RFEF, also acted as Velasco’s agent for many years.
With an impressive track record and at 57 years old, Jesús Velasco will take on the challenge of leading Spain in November, alongside Enrique Ibáñez ‘Chicho’ (who left Movistar Inter after 15 seasons), who will serve as his assistant coach and physical trainer. There is widespread agreement that Velasco is the ideal choice to challenge the dominance of Portugal on the global and European stages. However, some fellow coaches have expressed discomfort with how the transition has been handled. “He’s the best Spanish coach and a world-class talent, but the way things have been done hasn’t been ideal,” said a veteran coach.
Spanish Team
Despite being 7,265 kilometers away and in an unusual situation, the Spanish team is aware of the imminent changes but has chosen to focus on their performance. For players like captain Raúl Campos and Barça’s Sergio Lozano, this World Cup may be their last chance to win, and they are fully focused. Spain is already training in Andijan and arrived in Uzbekistan in great form, after 51 days of preparation, culminating in a dominant win over the Netherlands. Spain’s record in their seven friendlies is five wins, one loss to Morocco, and one draw against France.
Amid the ongoing internal struggles within the RFEF, many have criticized Monje and his team for their lack of discretion in handling Velasco’s appointment. There is speculation that Velasco may attend the World Cup in Uzbekistan. Something many officials see as an unprecedented breach of protocol and respect in a transition as opaque and irregular as this one. Spain hasn’t won a World Cup in 20 years, hasn’t reached a FIFA final since 2012, and their last major title was the UEFA European Championship in 2016.
