Hierro: "It was a pleasure"

The DT took the emergency after the dismissal of Lopetegui, but was never able to present his seal. After the fall, he took the blame, congratulated the players and insinuated his departure.

He came to Russia as a sports director and lived the World Cup as a coach, replacing Lopetegui. Fernando Hierro remained four parties in the post. And in none of them approved. Nor yesterday, the day of elimination. Four different alignments, a team less and less recognizable, low yields and very poor results. He again changed against Russia, sending to the court a 4-2-3-1 seemingly more balanced than the 4-1-4-1 of the last match of the group stage, against Morocco, ignoring Iniesta and joining Isco with Asensio and Busquets with Koke. But there were no cases. It did not work.

"We have a lot of pain, we came to do something great and we did not expect that, but I'm proud of the players," said Hierro, once the elimination is over without dramatizing "I am the main and most responsible person," he added, in a self-critical tone, to say later: "The team has left the soul since day one. . Today (yesterday) we have not been lucky. We attacked for 120 minutes, we searched everywhere, in all ways and making a brutal effort, but that is football and now we have to lose. "

Finally, and after getting rid of the praises of their coaches (" the boys gave samples of professionalism from the start "), he left his future unresolved:" This is not the time to start. ;talk about. It was an honor to lead these guys. To continue in the office is not my decision, but right now we only sympathize with people. What happens to me is what matters the least. In any case, it is and has been a pleasure to train these players, "he concluded, in a farewell appearance.