A summary of Saturday's action in the FIFA World Cup 2026 UEFA Qualifiers.
The system, featuring three centre backs and aggressive wing backs, marked a significant departure from the traditional 4-3-3 formation and appeared to address Real's defensive frailties from a disappointing, trophyless 2024-25 campaign.
Former Sevilla coach Joaquin Caparros and current Granada manager Paco Jemez both said earlier on Thursday that they were interested in the position if Del Bosque was to leave.
Former Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque will take charge of Spain until the 2010 World Cup, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said on Tuesday. The 57-year-old Del Bosque replaces Luis Aragones, who quit to join Fenerbahce after leading the national side to victory at Euro 2008 in June.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said there would be "consequences", including potentially for himself, after the holders' shock elimination from the World Cup on Wednesday, but that he needed time to reflect.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has defended his decision to use the same starting side in all three Euro 2016 games so far.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque is delighted with his side's preparations for the European Championships but was not ready to claim they were short odds to register a third successive triumph at the tournament hosted by France.
Spain goalkeeper David De Gea is in line to start their Euro 2016 opener against the Czech Republic on Monday despite being involved in an off-field controversy, coach Vicente del Bosque said on Sunday. The final decision, though, would be made on Monday.
Spain have not been clinical enough in front of goal at the World Cup, according to coach Vicente del Bosque.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has no time for mind games and is wary of a suggestion from his opposite number that Turkey will play for a draw against them in Friday's Euro 2016 match. Turkey coach Fatih Terim said earlier on Thursday that he would be satisfied with a point from the Group D match against the European champions, but Del Bosque was not convinced.
Vicente del Bosque is still unsure about his future as Real Madrid coach, despite landing his fourth major trophy in less than four years in charge.
Spain have not prepared a specific plan to counter in-form Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder in Sunday's World Cup final, coach Vicente del Bosque said on Saturday.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has agreed a two-year contract extension with the world and European champions which ties him until the 2016 European championship in France, the 62-year-old said on Friday.
Outgoing Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has no regrets as he prepares to leave his post at the end of July after eight years in charge during which they won the World Cup and Euro 2012.
Vicente del Bosque played down a suggestion he had changed football by sometimes starting matches at Euro 2012 without a recognised striker after Spain crushed Italy 4-0 to retain their continental title on Sunday.
Bossing the midfield with experienced, talented players was the decisive factor in Spain's deserved 1-0 win over Germany in the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday, Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said.
Spain are among the favourites to win the European Championship this summer but the team's 1-0 home defeat to Georgia on Tuesday has set alarm bells ringing. In their last warm-up game before the tournament and nearly two years on from their first-round exit at the World Cup in Brazil, Spain lost to a team ranked number 137 by FIFA. "Gatillazo" (Damp squib) was the headline in Wednesday's AS newspaper after the team's loss in Getafe.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has defended his decision to start without a striker in their 1-1 Euro 2012 draw against Italy and suggested he might use the same tactic for Thursday's Group C clash with Ireland.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Fernando Torres is determined to repay the faith shown in him by Spain coach Vicente del Bosque after a spectacular loss of form put him in serious danger of being left out of the world and European champions' squad for Euro 2012.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has spoken out in support of goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who has been warming the bench at Real Madrid despite recovering from a broken hand.
World Champions Spain are not soccer's rigid 'Talibans' and can vary their trademark possession football if necessary, coach Vicente del Bosque has said.
It will be the fifth edition in a row that the two heavyweights have met head to head at a European Championship.
Busquets made 143 appearances for the national team after making his debut in 2009 in a 2-1 win away to Turkey, with only Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas having played more games.
Spain and Costa Rica are playing in Group E along with Germany and Japan.
The shadow of their disappointing 2014 World Cup campaign still hangs over Spain as they prepare to defend their European Championship crown in France next month, according to coach Vicente del Bosque.
Spain defender Sergio Ramos was surprised to learn that the country's record appearance maker and long-time captain Iker Casillas had been left out of the Spain squad by coach Julen Lopetegui. The Spain players met up with their new manager for the first time on Monday to prepare for the international friendly in Belgium on Sept. 1 and their opening World Cup qualifier at home to Liechtenstein on Sept. 5.
Spain boss Vicente del Bosque is not expecting a repeat of their crushing 4-0 victory over Italy in the final four years ago when the two sides meet in the last 16 of Euro 2016 on Monday. Spain destroyed the Italians in one of the most one-sided finals in the competition's history at Euro 2012 to clinch their second consecutive European title and reaffirm their status as the world's then dominant side.
"I can't find words to explain five goals," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said after the holders crashed to a shocking 5-1 reverse to Netherlands in their World Cup Group B opener on Friday.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has praised goalkeeper David de Gea for the way he has handled an off-field controversy at Euro 2016. The Manchester United player, who has vehemently denied allegations in the Spanish media linking him to a prostitution case, was selected to play against the Czech Republic in Group D in Toulouse on Monday.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has included Diego Costa in his final 23-man squad for the World Cup finals despite the Brazil-born forward's recent injury woes.
Spain are steadily turning to the next generation ahead of their Euro 2016 opener against the Czech Republic later on Monday as the defending champions look to redeem themselves after a miserable World Cup two years ago. For Spain's disappointing showing in 2014, coach Vicente del Bosque retained 16 of the squad that won the title in 2010, but only eight winners remain for Euro 2016, with players such as Alvaro Morata, Hector Bellerin and Thiago Alcantara introduced as part of a significant changing of the guard. Sergio Ramos is confident the new boys, five of whom were part of the 2013 European under 21-winning side, can lead Spain into a new golden era.
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque is facing calls to replace striker Fernando Torres with Fernando Llorente for Saturday's quarter-final with Paraguay.
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque criticised his players for not scoring more goals during a sublime first half against Uruguay and said that profligacy caused some heart flutters at the end of their 2-1 Confederations Cup victory on Sunday.
Relief ran through Spanish ranks after Gerard Pique's late header secured a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic in their opening Group D match at Euro 2016 on Monday.
The suggestion that Spain need to change their playing style is already meeting resistance even though another disappointing performance at a major soccer tournament suggests that tiki-taka has run its course. In many countries, a defeat as comprehensive as the one Spain suffered against Italy in Euro 2016 on Monday, when they were outplayed and lucky to lose only 2-0, would have led to calls to knock everything down and start again. In Spain, however, where many are proud of having such a distinctive style of play, there are plenty of voices calling for the team to continue trying to pass the ball all the way into the goal.
Spain and Italy have undergone managerial changes since Antonio Conte handed Vicente del Bosque a tactical masterclass at Euro 2016, but Spain go into Thursday's World Cup qualifier in Turin in better shape than their Group G rivals.
Zidane ruled out following in the footsteps of Alex Ferguson, who spent 26 years in charge of Manchester United.
For all Vicente del Bosque's confidence that he has the right balance of experience and youth to return Spain to their familiar place on the winner's rostrum, questions remain about his best starting line-up ahead of Euro 2016.
David Villa and Xabi Alonso netted long-range free kicks from near-identical positions to help Spain to a 3-0 win over Venezuela in a friendly international on Tuesday.
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