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Julen LopeteguiSpanish footballer and football coach
Date of Birth: 28.08.1966
Country:  Spain |
Content:
- Julen Lopetegui: From Player to Coach
- Backup Goalkeeper at Real Madrid
- Barcelona and Later Career
- International Career
- Coaching Career
- Success with Youth Teams
- Club Management
- Real Madrid and Controversial Departure
Julen Lopetegui: From Player to Coach
Early Playing CareerJulen Lopetegui's journey as a footballer began with Real Sociedad. In 1985, he joined Real Madrid Castilla, where he became a regular player. In 1988, he was promoted to the first team, but was immediately loaned out to Las Palmas, where he made 31 appearances.
Backup Goalkeeper at Real Madrid
Returning from loan, Lopetegui spent three seasons as Real Madrid's backup goalkeeper behind Francisco Buyo, making just one appearance. In 1991, he moved to Logroñés, where he played brilliantly for three seasons.
Barcelona and Later Career
Lopetegui joined Barcelona in 1994 to replace Andoni Zubizarreta, but struggled to compete with Carles Busquets and Vítor Baía, making only five appearances in three years. After leaving Barcelona, he joined Rayo Vallecano in the Segunda División, helping them promote to La Liga. He played 112 matches before retiring in 2002.
International Career
Lopetegui was a silver medalist with the Spain U-20 team at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship, but did not play in the tournament. He also made one appearance for the Spain U-21 team. His impressive performances for Logroñés earned him one cap for the senior Spanish team, a 2-0 defeat by Croatia in 1994.
Coaching Career
Formative YearsLopetegui's initial attempt at coaching came as manager of Rayo Vallecano in 2003/04, but he was dismissed due to poor results. He then worked as a commentator for Spanish sports channels until 2008, when he returned to coaching with Real Madrid Castilla.
Success with Youth Teams
In 2010, Lopetegui was appointed coach of the Spain U-19 and U-20 teams. While the U-20 team did not achieve significant success, the U-19 team won the European Championships in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, Lopetegui became coach of the Spain U-21 team, leading them to victory in the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Club Management
In 2014, Lopetegui returned to club management with Porto, but was unable to achieve success and was dismissed in January 2016. After Euro 2016, he was appointed manager of the Spanish national team, replacing Vicente Del Bosque. Under his guidance, Spain qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Real Madrid and Controversial Departure
On June 12, 2018, it was announced that Lopetegui would become manager of Real Madrid after the World Cup. However, just two days later, he was controversially dismissed by the Spanish Football Federation for failing to disclose his agreement with Real Madrid before the World Cup.
