Spain's World Cup winning captain Iker Casillas announced on Monday he will run for president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) when elections are called later this year.
Casillas, who led Spain to unprecedented success as they won Euro 2008 and 2012 as well as the 2010 World Cup, suffered a heart attack in May while training with current club Porto, and has not played since. He returned to training in November.
"Yes, I'll be running for RFEF President when elections are called," the goalkeeper wrote on Twitter.
He has not played for Porto this season and the announcement all but confirms his retirement from professional football.
Current incumbent Luis Rubiales, who took over from Angel Maria Villar in May 2018 after the former Athletic Bilbao player had spent three decades at the helm, has a mandate that runs through until after Euro 2020.
Rubiales's tenure has been notable for ups and downs.
Spain won last year's Under-21 European Championship, but he has had numerous public disagreements with the head of Spain’s La Liga, Javier Tebas.
Rubiales was criticised by La Liga's chief and local media for his refusal to allow the Spanish league to play a game in Miami, despite reformatting the Spanish Super Cup and moving it to Saudi Arabia.
He also took the decision to sack Spain head coach Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the 2018 World Cup after it emerged he had agreed a deal to join Real Madrid after the tournament.
(Reporting by Joseph Cassinelli; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
