Del Bosque quits as Spain coach

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque is stepping down from the job just three days after the defending champions were knocked out of Euro 2016 by Italy in France.

“Of course, I have no intention of continuing,” he said in an interview with Radio Nacional de Espana on Thursday.

“It was a decision I had taken beforehand.”

Spain, who were trying to win their third straight European title, lost 2-0 to Italy in the last 16 on Monday.

Del Bosque, 65, led Spain to their first World Cup title in 2010 and followed that success by clinching Spain’s second successive European Championship two years later.

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At that point, Spain were the dominant side in world football, with their high-tempo possession game providing a template that many teams tried to emulate.

Their air of invincibility was punctured at the World Cup in 2014, when they were knocked out in the group stage after losing their opening two matches.

Del Bosque, who won two Champions League crowns and two La Liga titles in a four-year spell in charge of Real Madrid from 1999, was persuaded to stay on as Spain boss and led them into Euro 2016 where they reached the last 16.

They were well-beaten, however, by a well-organised Italy side and looked a shadow of Del Bosque’s previous teams.

“However the European Championship worked out, I had no doubt about my future,” he said.

“It was a decision I had taken beforehand. I don’t want to hide, nor make an exhibition of myself.”

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