MADRID: Spain’s World Cup stand-in coach Fernando Hierro has left the national team set-up altogether after turning down the chance to return to his former role as sporting director.

Hierro stepped in at the last minute to replace Julen Lopetegui after he was sensationally sacked on the eve of the tournament in Russia for agreeing to become the Real Madrid boss without informing the Spanish football federation.

The RFEF said in a statement that the 50-year-old had decided to “seek new horizons and undertake new professional challenges.”

Under Hierro, Spain finished top of Group B but were knocked out at the last-16 stage following a penalty shoot-out defeat to Russia.

The former Real Madrid defender was the federation’s sporting director on two separate occasions, between 2007-11 – during which time the national team won the European Championships and World Cup – and then again from November 2017.

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