The announcement of Luis Enrique as the Spanish national team coach comes exactly 24 years after he was involved in one of the unforgettable moments in the history of 'La Roja', when he received a brutal elbow from the Italian Mauro Tassotti in the quarterfinals of the 1994 World Cup.
Despite playing a good game and being superior to the Italian team in several phases, Spain was losing thanks to goals from Dino and Roberto Baggio. José Luis Pérez had temporarily equalized.
During a Spanish transition, Caminero opened up to the right towards Jon Andoni Goikoetxea and his cross went through the box without finding a finisher. Luis Enrique, who was being marked by Tassotti from the left, suddenly fell and covered his face with his hands.
When he stood up, blood could be seen continuously flowing from his nose. Immediately, he went towards the Italian player and fell to the ground again, a mixture of pain and helplessness.
The Spanish players went to complain to the referee, Hungarian Sandor Puhl. But he ignored their claims.
Senén Cortegoso, the physio who attended to the Asturian player, had to restrain Luis Enrique while he continued to reproach Tassotti. Enrique tried to continue, but couldn't.
Luis Enrique had many more opportunities to make amends with the national team, but he couldn't. And by fate, the man from Gijón has been announced as the coach of Spain, exactly 24 years after that unforgettable evening at Foxboro Stadium.
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