Lucescu had a lengthy coaching career and was in his second spell with the Romanian national team until stepping down last Thursday after falling ill during training.
Jürgen Klopp, 59, has been officially confirmed as the new coach of the German national football team by the DFB in Frankfurt. He replaces Julian Nagelsmann and is tasked with improving the team's performance after a disappointing World Cup showing, with his debut set for September 24.
Spain's World Cup victory has significantly elevated the national team's international profile and fan engagement, driven by the RFEF's digital communication strategy. Social media accounts gained 6.7 million followers, and a four-part docuseries on the triumph will be released on Prime Video in December.
Spain's head coach, Luis de la Fuente, strongly criticized the behavior of several Argentina players after Spain's World Cup final victory, calling their actions "intolerable and unacceptable" in a TVE interview. He commended his own players for maintaining composure amidst provocation, with FIFA now investigating incidents at MetLife Stadium.
Argentina's loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final has led to a Change.org petition demanding a replay due to alleged referee bias, gathering over 80,000 signatures. Separately, FIFA has launched a disciplinary investigation into post-match player clashes and a controversial Falkland Islands banner.
Spain's World Cup winner Ferran Torres sparked controversy by wearing a 'Make Spain Great Again' cap during the victory parade and later faced incorrect accusations from an MP regarding a 'vulture fund' property company. Teammate Marc Cucurella also drew criticism from Argentina for his song choice.
Ukraine's Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi condemned the International Olympic Committee's decision to provisionally lift the ban on Russian athletes, calling it a "primitive legal trick" that undermines international pressure on Russia. European ministers also expressed anger, urging the EU to cut Olympic funding.
