Doha - (AFP) - The Spanish Football Federation sacked its first-team coach, Luis Enrique , after "La Roja" was eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup final against Morocco by penalty kicks.

"President Luis Rubiales and sporting director Jose Francisco Molina have informed the coach of the decision," the RFEF said in a statement on Thursday.

Enrique, 52, took charge of the Spain national team in 2018 and led them to the European Cup semi-finals last summer.

And after a crushing victory over Costa Rica, opening 7-0, the largest in the history of its participation in the World Cup, the 2010 champion tied with Germany 1-1 before losing to Japan 1-2.

In the final price, Morocco took possession of the ball, but lost to it on penalties 0-3 after they tied without goals.

And while the federation expressed in its statement its “thanks to Luis Enrique and his coaching staff,” it indicated that it had submitted a report “in which it was decided to start a new project for the Spanish football team, with the aim of continuing the growth achieved in recent years thanks to the work done by Enrique and his assistants.”

The federation did not refer to Enrique's possible replacement, but the Spanish press talked about possible candidates, Luis de la Fuente, the current coach of Spain's U-21 national team and the Spanish Olympic team, as well as the former coach of Valencia, Seville and Athletic Bilbao Marcelino.