1. Club vs Country, episode 3587. (World Cup Prologue)
Real Madrid in the White Corner. Spain Football Association in the Red Corner. Florentino Perez (still miffed at not having the chance to fire Zizou at some point) lands a upper-cut by announcing that Spain’s manager would become Madrid’s next manager in the firing line.
The Spain FA president is rocked back especially with the added insult of being informed only five minutes before the announcement is made. Luis Rubiales responds by landing a jab with the firing of Julen Lopetegui and appointing Fernando Hierro, one day before the world cup kicks off.
The winner of this bout of egos is the football media and millions of neutral fans who feast on this dramatic turn of events. The loser is definitely Lopetegui, who misses the chance to lead his country at the world’s biggest sporting event while also not having the consolation of job security at Real Madrid. Because let’s face it, Zidane winning 3 Champions League titles in a row and resigning isn’t likely to be repeated by anyone else at Madrid in our lifetime.