The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has a new president. On Monday, the governing body of Spanish football elected Rafael Louzán as the new leader for the next four years with a notable difference over his main opponent, Salvador Gomar. The Galician candidate received 90 votes, compared to 43 for his Valencian rival, in an election where there were only four blank votes and one null vote.
After the interim of Pedro Rocha, who ended up disqualified following the controversial departure of Luis Rubiales, Louzán becomes the twenty-sixth president of the RFEF and will try to calm the waters within the institution. Although the elections were held in a cordial atmosphere, the day began with the withdrawal of Sergio Merchán, an Extremaduran candidate who was the third aspirant for the position. Upon learning the results, Gomar congratulated his rival with a hug that did not go unnoticed by the media.
Rafael Louzán, in trouble with the law before arriving at the RFEF
However, the future of the new president is far from reassuring for the future of Spanish football. The representative of the Galician territory has a pending trial for aggravated prevarication of seven years where, if found guilty, he will be disqualified by the justice system from holding his position in the RFEF and any other institution in the country. In February, Louzán will learn the verdict of the case, with the confidence that comes from having the support of the Government.
If he manages to emerge unscathed from his encounter with the law, the new president of the Federation will have as his main objective the organization of the 2030 World Cup, alongside Portugal and Morocco, an event with which Spain hopes to restore the image of an entity harshly criticized for the controversial management of its predecessors and political interference in recent years.