Spain have sacked the head coach of its national senior football team, Julen Lopetegui after he was named the new Real Madrid boss, two days before their opening World Cup 2018 match with Portugal.

Real Madrid announced on Tuesday that Lopetegui who was named Spain boss in 2016 and was unbeaten during his time in charge, would succeed Zinedane Zidane at the Bernabeu on a three-year deal.

The Spanish football federation (RFEF) said it had dismissed the 51-year-old because the negotiation occurred without any information to the RFEF, adding that Spain’s Sporting Director, Fernando Hierro will take charge for the World Cup.

The former Real Madrid and Bolton Wanderers defender is in his second spell as sporting director, having returned to the role in November 2017, six years after leaving the position.

RFEF president, Luis Rubiales, who was told of Lopetegui’s new role with Real five minutes before it was announced, said he had found himself in ‘a very difficult situation’.

“I know there’s going to be criticism whatever I do. I’m sure this will, in time, make us stronger. I admire Julen very much, I respect him very much. He seems a top trainer and that makes it harder to make the decision,” Rubiales said.

“You can’t do things this way, two or three days before the World Cup. We have been compelled to make this decision,” he added.

Lopetegui became Spain manager in 2016 following the retirement of Vicente del Bosque. Under his tutelage, Spain won 14 of 20 games, drawing the remaining six.

The first sign that such a drastic move was on the cards came on Tuesday night when Rubiales plainly expressed his displeasure by commenting that he would make the ‘right decision’.

On Wednesday morning while everyone was guessing what that decision would be, reports filtered in claiming Rubiales had been persuaded against firing Lopetegui by Spain’s players, who were comfortable with him remaining in charge.

The federation chief, who has only been in his post for a month, made it very plain that the decision to fire Lopetegui was taken because of the way his departure for Madrid was handled.

Rubiales repeatedly and insistently stated that the federation knew absolutely nothing about the negotiations until five minutes before the Real Madrid club sent a press release to reveal Lopetegui’s appointment.

In a wider context, this shocking development is part of a wider political power play within Spanish football, with newly-appointed Rubiales seizing the first opportunity to show that the federation will not allow itself to be pushed around by anyone – not even Real Madrid.