I realised that the political context had got worse since the 2010 World Cup. I tried to ignore it but I wanted, as a national coach – you may call this Utopia – to make...

The certainty that our football, the football of Spain, is recognised, that’s very important to us – perhaps more important than the successes and the joy that you can create. Football hasn’t always been appreciated,...

I just wanted to defend football, which is not always easy to do. Those of us who have been in the sport so many years now realise we must protect it and look after it....

We must look after football and to do what it is necessary to bring to the game the best ethical values and personal behaviour.

Spain used to be very individualistic in its sporting activities. Now we are showing we are pretty good in teams – that is an improvement.

A leader is admired, a boss is feared.

As with Cesc Fabregas, some players who go and play for foreign clubs improve on a cultural level. It makes them grow on many levels; intellectually, because you have to learn a new language and...

I didn’t really want to be the coach who wins but the coach who educates.

The Confederations Cup is interesting. It served Spain very well to take part and then go on to win the 2010 World Cup. We knew the stadiums, the atmosphere, the conditions and also the difficulties...

We are in a world that is quite extremist and extremism makes more noise. Normality does not sell.

I think it is important to help our country’s image outside of Spain.

Football has an important role to play in society. Players should have a sense of social responsibility, have a moral dimension to them which shows up in good conduct.

Sometimes people say that coach is a winner, but everyone wants to win. You must know how to behave in victory and in defeat, to look after what is our sport, football.

Leadership must be likeable, affable, cordial, and above all emotional. The fashion of authoritarian leadership is gone. Football is about life. You can’t be angry all day.

No one knows anything about economics. It’s the great lie of the economists. By contrast in football people might have contrasting opinions, each of which has some validity. But the economists always speak in conditionals...