The lights and shadows of the Luis Enrique era in the Spanish team

This Thursday confirmed the exit of Luis Enrique of the selection of Spain, some days after the elimination of the Glass of the World in eighth of final. From the RFEF understood that it is moment to give beginning to a new cycle and that, after a deep study and analysis, the most positive was that the Asturian trainer stepped at the side.

Luis Enrique was four years headed by 'The Red', with the asterisk of the eight months that was separated and in which it relieved him Robert Moreno. It has been a stage that can be compared, perfectly, with a Russian mountain. They have been many the feelings (good and bad) that has left the selection in the last years, but does not have 'failed' in his mission to take out of the 'pozo' to a Spain in decadence.

And it is that, with after the exit of Julen Lopetegui days before the World-wide of Russia 2018, Spain went in in decadence. Luis Enrique was one of the artífices that it returned the illusion by the combined national and that, finally, arrived an idea with which 'The Red' did 'click'. This does not mean that all the results have been good, but yes that it pursued the idea and the plan.

Between so much, 'I Struggle' it achieved to carry to Spain to two Final Four of the Nations League (with a defeat in the final in front of France) and also to some semifinals of the Eurocopa, in an edition in which it did not bet neither a euro by the Spaniards, especially after a phase of groups that left more doubts that certainties. However, the confidence of the trainer in his players promoted the plan.

This went through to give continuity to players like Sergio Busquets or Dani Carvajal (argued with his clubs) or promote the figures of the more youngsters, as it is the case of Pedri González (especially in the Eurocopa) or now the one of Gavi, that was one of the most positive points of Spain in the World-wide. Luis Enrique did not have doubts never and, in spite of the criticisms that received, gave continuity to his plan.

This carried it, also, to leave out of his plans to other so many players that probably deserved to be summoned with 'The Red'. In all this time, has spoken of Mikel Merino, Of Gea, Kepa, Borja Churches, Iago Sails, Channels... Players that have not had opportunities with the selection or that happened on tiptoe in the announcements. Luis Enrique always 'defended' that did not fit in his approach... But it could not do them part?

It is one of the big astericos and shadows of his stage in Spain, as well as the feeling that left of a remarkable fault of evolution in the game, that remained totally evidenciada in the World-wide, especially against Morocco. The Spaniards sinned by 'flat', for giving thousands of passes... Without clear purpose. In spite of this, did not change his plan.

The percentages of Luis Enrique

In his stage, Luis Enrique added 48 parties in which it registered 27 victories (56%), 14 ties and seven defeats in which they annotated 100 goals and received 38. The Asturian and ex of the FC Barcelona played with 66 different footballers and only achieved three triumphs in the two big tournaments that contested: three in the Eurocopa 2021 and one in the World-wide of this year.

With his percentage of victories, has remained by behind trainers of 'The Red' as Vicente of the Forest (76%), Luis Aragonese (70%), Julen Lopetegui (70%), Iñaki Sáez (65%), José Antonio Camacho (63%) and Javier Clemente (58%). And it surpasses to Luis Suárez (55%), Miguel Muñoz (55%), Ladislao Kubala (45%), José Villalonga (45%) and José Santamaría (41%).