10 Most disappointing football teams of 2018

#9 Spain

Spain

Heading into the 2018 World Cup off the back of an impressive 21 matches without defeat, La Furia Roja were one of the genuine contenders to triumph in Russia.

Then manager Julen Lopetegui had infused a perfect blend of youth and experience, playing enthralling football which got the fans believing in the once dominant force again.

However, disaster struck just two days to the start of the mundial when Real Madrid announced Julen Lopetegui as their new manager (to rather disastrous consequences) without the consent of the Spanish football authorities which infuriated RFEF (Spanish FA) boss Luis Rubiales so much that the 41-year-old flew down to Russia to announce a press conference terminating Lopetegui's contract as national team boss despite protest from the players.

Former captain Fernando Hierro stepped in and expectedly, there was disarray in the team, as there were just two days for him to work with his players and this showed in the results, as the Spain team which was previously full of swagger showed signs of confusion.

The 2010 champions barely qualified from their group but capitulated in the next round, bowing out on penalties to hosts Russia in a match they were expected to win.

Even though some calm has been returned since the appointment of former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, Spain still failed to make it to the semi-final fo the Nations League and that capped off a rather pooor year by their usual high standards.