Jule Lopetegui was appointed to serve as the head coach of Spanish National Team for the FIFA World Cup 2018 but was fired prior 2-3 days of the tournament after he agreed to take over Real Madrid as soon as the World Cup ends.
Julen Lopetegui was born on 28th of June 1966, in Asteasu, Spain. His birth name is Julen Lopetegui Argote, and his birth sign is Cancer. Talking about his nationality, Lopetegui is Spanish, and he belongs to the white ethnicity.
Although Julen Lopetegui began his professional career from “local Real Sociedad," a Spanish football club based in the San Sebastian, Basque Country, within a very short period he was disqualified by Luis Arconada, a retired Spanish footballer.
In 1985, Lopetegui signed a 3-year contract with “Castilla football club,” making 61 appearances for the club. He then accepted an offer from “Real Madrid" gave three years in the club and played a single match.
He then transferred on loan to “Las Palmas football” club and subsequently signed to “Logrones” after a year. His stellar performance at Lonrones earned him his sole cap with Spain, coming on as a substitute for Andoni Zubizarreta for the final thirty minutes of a 0-2 friendly loss to Croatia in Valencia. Further, he was chosen for 1994’s FIFA World Cup.
Before Lopetegui sign to Rayo Vallecano as well as played for Barcelona, where he made five appearances. Since 1997 to 2002, “Loptegui” appeared 112 matches.
In 1985, Julen Lopetegui entered in “Spain U21.” For the Spain national team, and played a single game.
Through his football career, Lopetegui earned several prestigious awards. He was 1985 Runner-up of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, 1994’s Supercopa de Espana, and 1989-1990 La Liga. In 2002, Julen Lopetegui retired from the football.
Julen became an assistant coach of Juan Santisteban’s assistants at the UEFA Europa Under-17 Championship in 2003. Following he started working as a head coach at “Rayo Vallecano," on the second level, being terminated after the 10th match of the 2003-04 campaign.
Further, he began serving as a sports commentator for “LaSexta” in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He then returned to coaching, for “Real Madrid B." From 2010 to 2014, he served as Spain Youth teams, winning the 2013 Under-21 Championship and 2012 European Under-19 Championship.
After Spain Youth teams, he appointed by “FC Porto." There he signed seven Spanish players. During his first season at the Estadio do Dragao, with the club’s largest budget ever, he led them to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Championship League.
However, they equalized the club’s massive defect in Europe competitions and suffered problems in the competition. As Porto has already been eliminated from the Championship league, he relieved that he replaced by Rui Barros.
On 31st July 2016, Lopetegui was announced as the new manager of the “Spain national team." In his first match, he led his team to a 2-0 friendly victory over Belgium at the King Baudouin Stadium.
However, Julen was fired by the Spanish team prior 3 days of the tournament after he agreed to take over Real Madrid as soon as the World Cup ends. He was replaced by Fernando Hierro.
He was later fired by Real Madrid after Real faced series of losses in La Liga.
Julen Lopetegui, age 52, is married to his wife Rosa Maqueda. Rosa is the sister of former Real Madrid player and his teammate Juan José Maqueda. They met each other in 1989 and were introduced to each other by Juan.
Rosa works as an administrator of the company Depor-Tegui.
The couple is married for a very long time and is blessed with three children; two sons and a daughter Jon, 24, Daniel, 19, and Maria, 16.
Julen Lopetegui was paid the annual salary of €6 million before being fired. Real Madrid also paid Julen the €2 million in compensation after he was fired by Spanish National Team.
Real Madrid will now have to pay €18million the guaranteed amount as per the contract after firing him. His contract was up to 2021 for four years.
Julen owns a house in Ibiza and also has one in Madrid for a living.
