Del Bosque gets Spain coach's job

Del Bosque won 18 Spanish caps during his playing career

Former Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque is to take charge of Spain until the 2010 World Cup.

Del Bosque, 57, succeeds coach Luis Aragones who moved to Turkish side Fenerbahce earlier this month after Spain's Euro 2008 triumph.

His first match in charge will be on 20 August when Spain face Denmark in a friendly international in Copenhagen.

Del Bosque's first competitive game will be a World Cup qualifier against Bosnia in Murcia on 6 September.

"The president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF) Angel Maria Villar proposed the nomination of del Bosque to the executive committee which was accepted," said an RFEF spokesman.

Del Bosque will be presented to the media on Thursday.

He coached Real Madrid to two Spanish titles as well as a Champions League double before he was sacked by the club's former president Florentino Perez.

He then coached Besiktas in Turkey between 2004 and 2005 and was Spanish second division side Cadiz's sporting director last season.

As a player with Real he won five Spanish titles and four Spanish Cups.