De la Fuente, Busquets, Ramos and other unknowns in the future of the team

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Surely it was not part of Luis Enrique's plans to have to meet with Luis Rubiales, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), while four teams that were not his were trying to take the last stride towards the final of the Copa del World.

But since in this case it is the ball that rules, the national coach, whose contract expires at the end of 2022, will have to sit down to talk about the past, the present, and, above all, the future.

And that conversation can lead to any scene.

"I must analyze what is best for the national team and for Luis Enrique," was one of his messages after the elimination.

The feeling, also due to the air that is breathed in the RFEF, is that his stage will end shortly, which will open some doors and close a few others.

There will have been 45 games spread over two stages (six and 39), with 25 wins, 11 draws and nine losses.

With a diverse group of footballers and more than one debate about someone absent (and someone called up), which, on the other hand, is what has always happened, whoever owned the bench.

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If it were to come to an end, there is a candidate who sounds louder than the rest:

.

He has been in the Spanish Federation since 2013, where he landed as a sub'19 coach, and since 2018 he has been managing the sub'21 strings.

He was also the one who led the Olympic team to silver at the Tokyo Games.

And he has an added value (determinant in this case) that others do not have: most of the current absolute players have passed through his hands.

Saving the distances, it would be repeating the formula of two decades ago, when

replaced

after the 2002 World Cup. Of course, the experiment, with that bump in Euro 2004, did not go well at all.

Another solution would go through

, who has not trained since his contract with Athletic expired last June.

The profile of this other Asturian is liked in some (not all) sectors of the Federation, but it would mean a drastic change in the style of play.

There is also

, the winningest coach in Belgium history, whom he led to third place at Russia 2018 and catapulted to the top of the FIFA ranking.

A week ago, he announced his resignation in Qatar after a premature KO.

And, why not,

, who is currently without a team.

In 2018, Luis Enrique beat

,

,

or

.

His salary so far was 1.15 million.

some goodbyes

That regarding the bench.

Because, probably, the nightmare against Morocco, in the already infamous Education City stadium in Doha, was the last page for some of those present.

Without Luis Enrique, it seems difficult for anyone to convince captain

to extend his already long history (142 games and two titles) a little further with the Spanish team.

The Euro Cup in Germany, in 2024, to which he would be about to turn 36, and outside of Barcelona, ​​since his contract expires in June, could have been his last service in the national team.

Only the Asturian coach would have that capacity for persuasion and that ancestry necessary to do so.

By age,

and

, who did not even take off his bib as a substitute against Morocco, could have turned their last page with Spain.

Both are 33 years old and have had the confidence of various coaches (Del Bosque, Lopetegui, Hierro and Luis Enrique himself).

They would arrive in Germany with 35. After three World Cups, it seems that a relief may come in their positions.

But if there was someone who came out of Education City, it was

, author of two goals against Costa Rica, but irrelevant in the rest of his appearances.

Especially against Morocco.

Ferran, personal issues aside, has been Luis Enrique's gunner: 15 in 34 games.

Away from ownership at Barcelona, ​​his future in the national team could take a radical turn.

The same would happen with

, another of the Asturian's trusted men, but without much weight at PSG.

His World Cup appointment came despite his 487 minutes in 16 games.

One last Ramos dance?

They are doors that could be closed, while others would be opened.

Undoubtedly, the loudest would be that of

, the footballer with the most caps in the history of the national team (180).

The central defender, also a starter in Paris at 36, sighs for one last dance with Spain, after playing his last game in March 2021. Without Lucho, his perspective changes, although, due to his profile, De la Fuente would not be any guarantee either. for him.

Sergio Ramos, during a match with the national team. BRAND

That of

, the top national scorer in four of the last six seasons, whose last appointment was with

, in 2019, would also open. Or that of midfielder

, who disappeared from the map after playing Eurocopa 2021.

, who was missed in the Morocco area,

or

.

Maybe the goal would also have a facelift.

There are many unknowns that this indigestible Qatar World Cup leaves behind.

Although in just over three months the Spanish team will have to walk again.

He will do it at home against Norway, in the first qualifying match for the Euro 2024 in Germany. Three days later (March 28), he will visit Scotland.

And in June (from 14 to 18), the Final Four of the League of Nations, against the Netherlands, Croatia or Italy in the semifinals.

It would be part of Luis Enrique's legacy, if he ends his stage in that meeting with Rubiales next week.

Spain has many things to clean up.

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