Julen Lopetegui Appointed Spain Manager: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Former FC Porto manager Julen Lopetegui was named as Spain's new manager on Thursday.

The 49-year-old's appointment was confirmed by the national team via Twitter (h/t football writer Andrew Gaffney):

Lopetegui managed La Roja from under-19 to under-21 level between 2010 and 2014 prior to taking the job at Porto.

Gero Breloer/Associated Press

He succeeds Vicente del Bosque after the 65-year-old resigned from the role following Spain's round-of-16 exit at the hands of Italy at UEFA Euro 2016.

With the under-19s, Lopetegui guided Spain to the 2012 European Championship title, and a year later, he did the same with the under-21s.

His Porto side finished second in the Primeira Liga and just three points behind Benfica in his first season in charge, and he oversaw UEFA Champions League victories over Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

However, he was relieved of his duties in January this year after a three-match winless run despite losing just one league game in 2015/16—the Dragons suffered six more defeats over the remainder of the season after he left.

Steven Governo/Associated Press

BeIN Sports' David Cartlidge and football journalist Chris Moar believe he is the right choice to take Spain forward:

"

Lopetegui knows this young generation. Won multiple trophies with the likes of Isco/Thiago/Koke etc. No manager better than him for this.

— Chris (@MoarFootball) July 21, 2016"

"

Have wanted Lopetegui in that managerial seat since 2014. Give him time & this young generation that VdB failed will thrive.

— Chris (@MoarFootball) July 21, 2016"

Meanwhile, football writer Miguel Delaney and Tom Collomosse of the Evening Standard believed his appointment to be a sign of decline in the quality of managers in international football:

BeIN Sports' Tancredi Palmeri suggested that with the appointment, Spain—and several other traditionally strong nations—perhaps lack experience compared with the likes of France and Germany:

Del Bosque received plenty of criticism after Spain's dreadful performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup—where they failed to escape their group and lost 5-1 to the Netherlands—and their failure to progress deep into the European Championship this summer

Nevertheless, Lopetegui still has a tough act to follow—his predecessor oversaw Spain's triumphs at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

What will help is his experience of working and succeeding with a number of the squad's players throughout their formative years.

La Roja have a huge talent pool virtually any other country would be envious of—Del Bosque could probably have named two full squads for Euro 2016 if he had to—and Lopetegui should be able to get the best out of them.

The Spaniard's first task will be to ensure qualification for the 2018 World Cup, starting with La Roja's match against Liechtenstein on 5 September and a difficult trip to Italy a month later.