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ESPN staff 8y

Vicente del Bosque reveals plan to quit Spain after Euro 2016 in new book

Vicente del Bosque is planning on stepping down from his role as Spain coach after Euro 2016, according to extracts from his new book.

Del Bosque, 64, guided La Roja to wins at the World Cup in 2010 and Euro 2012, but then oversaw their shock group-stage exit at last summer's World Cup in Brazil.

The coach had said on Dec. 9 that it would be "normal" to leave after Euro 2016, and that stepping aside would allow a fresh coach to begin a "new cycle" for the team.

The Spanish FA (RFEF) will host the launch of Del Bosque's book "Winning and losing: Emotional strength" on Monday Dec. 21, and Marca have published extracts in which Del Bosque suggests that next summer's European Championship in France will be his last tournament with La Roja.

"If everything goes as expected, after Euro 2016 I'll leave the national team and the RFEF," Del Bosque wrote. "I will have been the national-team coach for eight years and I do not intend to cling on to the post."

The coach said that "health" played a part in his decision, but Del Bosque -- who has been in charge of the Spanish team for eight years -- intends to depart after a successful defence of the trophy he won four years ago.

"My greatest desire is for us to go out on a high," he said. "I could have retired a long time ago, but I wanted to serve my time just like your average Spaniard and work to the age at which most Spaniards retire.

"I consider myself privileged to have had the chance to enjoy my biggest passion, football, as a career. Right now, when the time for me to retire does not appear far away, I'm not looking to the future.

"When I do face that reality, I reckon that the morning after I leave the position of national team manager, I'll lead a normal life."

Del Bosque also said he does not want to deny his successor "the right to work," and wants to have "done the right thing" in stepping aside at the right time.

Spain face a difficult group at Euro 2016 after being drawn in Group D along with Croatia, Czech Republic and Turkey.

Del Bosque called the draw "extraordinarily tough," but is confident that Spain can lift their third European Championship in a row.

The 64-year-old former midfielder won five La Liga titles with Real Madrid during an 18-year Bernabeu playing career, before leading Los Blancos to two more titles and two Champions League trophies as a coach.

Del Bosque was named FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2012 after Spain's European Championship success.

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