Former Spain and Real Madrid head coach Vicente del Bosque has been appointed as the head of a new government-created committee to supervise the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Government spokesperson Pilar Alegria confirmed on Monday that Del Bosque, 73, will lead the Superior Sports Council’s (CSD) new commission of “supervision, normalisation and representation” as part of a bid to reform Spanish football.
The new body has been created in response to the ongoing fallout from scandals following former president Luis Rubiales’ departure, after he was forced to resign over the fallout from his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final. Rubiales faces sexual assault and coercion charges, which he denies, after kissing Jennifer Hermoso following Spain’s 1-0 win over England.
Del Bosque’s committee will work with the RFEF to “initiate a stage of regeneration under a climate of institutional stability” until the governing body holds new elections in autumn. Spain will co-host the 2030 World Cup along with Portugal and Morocco.
Last week, Pedro Rocha was formally announced as the RFEF’s new president, despite being one of several individuals questioned as part of a judicial investigation into alleged corruption during Rubiales’ reign.
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CSD president Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes said on Tuesday: “The situation at the RFEF requires high-mindedness and the government is acting with seriousness, determination and responsibility.
“With the creation of this supervision, normalisation and representation commission, the CSD preserves the general interest, in order to restore the reputation, good name and image of Spanish football and complete the electoral process with a renewed assembly for the period 2024-2028.”
Del Bosque led Spain to their first World Cup in 2010 and won successive European Championships in 2008 and 2012. At club level, he won La Liga twice and two Champions League titles during a four-year spell at Real Madrid from 1999.
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What does Del Bosque’s new role mean?
Analysis by Spanish football correspondent Dermot Corrigan
Del Bosque is a much-respected figure in Spanish football and society, however, his naming to the commission is unlikely to shake up too much within the federation or related power structures.
Last week, Rocha ascended to become the federation’s next president, despite being Rubiales’ handpicked successor — and despite Rocha being under investigation alongside Rubiales for corruption and financial misdeeds during their time together at the RFEF. Both deny any wrongdoing.
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Rocha’s future is still uncertain, as the government could still move to suspend him by using a complaint from serial federation critic Miguel Angel Galan, but its CSD and TAD authorities have yet to take that step.
Rocha’s RFEF will be overseen by Del Bosque’s new committee (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)
Sources within the federation and UEFA have told The Athletic that Del Bosque’s commission does not appear to have much power to actually take decisions and force any action — however much the government might say it is aiming to clean up the federation and move on from the Rubiales era.
Recent days have seen the trading of letters between UEFA and FIFA on one side, and the CSD’s Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes on the other — the international governing bodies say no interference in federation affairs can be permitted, while the Spanish politicians are clear that any wrongdoing by any individual must be punished.
Monday evening saw Rocha name his new board of directors, for a term of office which in theory only runs until the new elections in autumn. Maria Angeles Garcia Chaves, a 36-year-old former player and current administrator (known as Yaye), was named first vice-president.
Should Rocha be suspended by the government or the Spanish court investigation into his role at the federation during Rubiales’, then his fellow Extremadura native Garcia Chaves would automatically become the new interim leader.
(Photo: Matias Chiofalo/Europa Press via Getty Images)
