Jesús Velasco has officially stepped in as Spain’s new national futsal coach, reigniting excitement in Spanish futsal just 37 days after the team’s disappointing World Cup exit in Uzbekistan. On September 11, Relevo announced that Velasco would replace Fede Vidal. He was presented at the Luis Aragonés room in Las Rozas, honoring DANA victims and expressing that “it’s a dream and a challenge to lead your country’s national team.” At 57, Velasco has signed on until 2028, coinciding with the next World Cup, which Morocco is strongly favored to host. Known as one of the sport’s most accomplished coaches, Velasco shared that “personally, I am very happy because it’s the pinnacle of my career.”
Velasco Palmares
With extensive experience coaching in Italy, Spain, and France, Velasco began in Spain in 1996 with Talavera. Moved to Italy in 1998 where he won multiple titles, and returned to Spain in 2009 to lead teams like Caja Segovia, Movistar Inter, and Barça to Champions League and other domestic victories. He also led ACCS to a French League title in 2020-21 and earned titles as the best coach both nationally and globally.
The Team
Although the Spanish Football Federation hasn’t confirmed it, press suggests that Javier Lorente will take on sports management duties for the National Team. Replacing José Gómez. Velasco’s former colleague Enrique Ibáñez ‘Chicho’ joins as assistant coach, with Fran Burgueño as goalkeeping coach and several others staying on the technical staff. Velasco faces the challenge of ending Spain’s 20-year World Championship drought. Their last major victory was the 2016 European Championship, and they fell short in Uzbekistan, losing to Venezuela in the Round of 16.
Velasco praised his predecessor, Fede Vidal, and acknowledged responsibility across the Spanish futsal landscape for the team’s struggles, citing internal conflicts as a significant issue. While there’s optimism, Velasco urged caution: “Right now, we’re a Round of 16 team in the World Cup. The results speak for themselves.” His debut will be against Portugal, the reigning European champions, and Velasco emphasized that futsal needs high-quality matches to attract broader attention.
In preparation for this match, Velasco released a new squad list featuring both veterans and fresh faces. Notable returnees include Rafael García ‘Bebe,’ Cecilio, and Javier García Moreno ‘Chino,’ while younger players like Mario Rivillos and Dani Zurdo join for the first time. Some World Cup veterans are absent due to injuries or rest needs, with Velasco stressing the importance of balancing youth and experience in his selections.
Velasco aims to implement his club-style methodology, emphasizing intensity, mobility, and control, while maintaining communication with club coaches for a cohesive strategy. He noted that overcoming Spain’s internal issues will require unity across all levels of futsal—coaches, players, fans, and the federation alike: “We need to be more united… because that’s the path to bringing Spain back to the top.”
