FORMER Barcelona coach Luis Enrique was appointed Spain’s new coach Monday after previous incumbent Julen Lopetegui was sacked on the eve of the World Cup in what turned out to be a disappointing campaign.

“Luis Enrique’s appointment as coach for the next two years was approved unanimously,” Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish soccer federation, told reporters.

The 48-year-old faces a similar challenge to the one that he had when he took over at Barcelona in 2014.

A team with a history of success, a talented squad and a distinctive style of playing, had just failed to win a trophy for the first time in six years.

With Spain, Enrique must revive a side that won three consecutive major tournaments between 2008 and 2012 but is deflated after three failures, the latest its World Cup loss to host Russia — ranked 70th in the world — on penalties in the last 16.

Before that, Spain was humiliated at the hands of the Netherlands in 2014 and beaten by Italy at Euro 2016 — its winning streak but a distant memory.

Enrique will be taking over from Lopetegui, who was fired by Rubiales when the coach announced he had signed to take over at Real Madrid.

Spain’s then sporting director Fernando Hierro stepped in hastily to replace him and led the team to the last 16, before stepping down after the tournament.

The new manager faces the same two-pronged brief that Lopetegui was tasked with two years ago: to restore confidence and get fresh blood from the younger generation.

(SD-Agencies)