"Our goal is to fight for the World Cup trophy and that is what I have told them [the players]. It [the coach replacement] will not serve as an excuse… I told the players that we have an exciting challenge ahead of us and we cannot think of anything that will keep us from [achieving] our dream," Hierro was quoted as saying by the RFEF's official website.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced that Hierro would replace Julen Lopetegui as Spain head coach after Lopetegui had been sacked for negotiating with Real Madrid about becoming their new head coach without giving the federation any prior notification.
READ MORE: Spanish Football Team Sacks Head Coach Lopetegui Day Before World Cup
Spain has been drawn in Group B and will play reigning European champions Portugal in Sochi on June 15, Iran in Kazan on June 20 and Morocco in Kaliningrad on June 25.
The Spanish federation has decided to sack Julen Lopetegui.
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) June 13, 2018
President of Federation, Luis Rubiales, preferred his sacking from the moment he heard Lopetegui was the new RM manager only minutes before the official confirmation yesterday. His position won the debate with players
