The government’s involvement has come “in response to the crisis in the organisation and in defence of the general interest of Spain,” said the country’s National Sports Council (CSD).

“The Spanish government has taken this decision in order to correct the serious situation that the RFEF is going through and to allow the organisation to begin a period of regeneration,” it added.

The council is the government agency that is responsible for sport in Spain and its statement added that the committee would be led by “independent persons of recognised prestige.”

Football’s world governing body Fifa and European governing body Uefa say they are closely monitoring the situation with great concern.

Fifa regulations state that member nations shall manage their affairs independently and without influence from third parties.

“Fifa and Uefa will seek additional information to assess the extent to which the CSD’s appointment of the so-called ‘Supervision, Normalisation and Representation Commission’ may affect the RFEF’s obligation to manage its affairs independently and without undue government interference,” they said in a joint statement.