Fans were left stunned when RFEF appointed Luis de La Fuente as the head coach for the Spanish national team following Luis Enrique’s departure. However, Fuente has won over the fans with his tactics as the manager looks to lead Spain to the Euros title this summer. This is Luis de la Fuente’s first stint managing a senior team, with the manager holding the Spain U21 head coach position on his resume.
Luis de la Fuente started as a professional footballer for Athletic Bilbao. The left-back made 146 appearances for the first team, guiding them to two titles before joining Sevilla and Alaves. De La Fuente hung up his boots in the early 90s and transitioned into a manager. His first major role saw him take over his former side Alaves in 2011 but he was sacked after just 3 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses.
However, De la Fuente impressed RFEF with his tactics and was appointed Spain’s U18 head coach in 2013. He led the side to the Under 19 European Championship in 2015, following it up with the Gold medal in the Under 18 category at the Mediterranean Games in 2018.
Luis De La Fuente showers praise on Lamine Yamal
The Spanish head coach addressed the media via a press conference this Friday before Spain’s opener in Berlin. De La Fuente seems focused on the goal ahead of his team, with the manager keen on guiding the team to their 4th European championship. Spain has a real chance of getting their hands around the title, with the team having top-tier talents at their disposal.
He then showered praise on the team’s youngest star Lamie Yamal who has been making a name for himself with Barcelona. Talking about the player’s incredible run, Luis de La Fuente stated, “They are young players, especially Lamine. He’s a young boy, with incredible talent that only the chosen ones have. They have a gift from God. Very few players have these qualities. We’re trying to treat the situation normally, but also trying to explain by being humble he will develop so much more.”
However, the Spanish head coach added that the talent does not guarantee the two players a place in the team. “You might take it for granted that Nico and Lamine play tomorrow, you might think it’s a surprise if they don’t, but it wouldn’t be for me,” added the coach.
Do you think Lamine Yamal will start for Spain against Croatia? Let us know in the comments below.
