Luis de la Fuente is the man who turned Spain back into world-beaters, the coach who guided them to the Euro 2024 title and now leads them into the 2026 World Cup as one of the favorites. A federation insider who rose through Spain’s youth ranks before delivering at senior level, he has built a side that blends Spain’s traditional possession game with a wave of fearless young talent. For the bigger picture, see our World Cup 2026 hub.
Who is Luis de la Fuente?
A former left-back who spent most of his playing career at Athletic Bilbao, de la Fuente made his name in coaching by climbing the Spanish federation’s pathway. He won the European Under-19 Championship in 2015 and the European Under-21 Championship in 2019, and took Spain’s Olympic team to a silver medal at the Tokyo Games, developing many of the players he would later promote to the senior side.
From the youth ranks to the senior job
De la Fuente was appointed Spain’s senior head coach in December 2022, succeeding Luis Enrique after the 2022 World Cup. Some questioned the choice of a relative unknown over a bigger name, but he answered the doubters in record time, and his contract has since been extended to 2028.
Luis de la Fuente’s managerial honors
De la Fuente has won titles at almost every level of the Spanish setup. His major honors are below.
| Team | Honors |
|---|---|
| Spain | European Championship (2024), UEFA Nations League (2023) |
| Spain Under-21s | European Under-21 Championship (2019) |
| Spain Under-19s | European Under-19 Championship (2015) |
| Spain Olympic team | Olympic silver medal (2021) |
Winning both the Nations League and a European Championship within two years of taking the senior job is a record few managers can match.
The Euro 2024 winner
De la Fuente’s defining triumph came at Euro 2024, where Spain won all seven of their matches, a tournament record, and beat England 2-1 in the final through Mikel Oyarzabal’s late goal. It followed the 2023 Nations League, won on penalties against Croatia, giving him back-to-back trophies and confirming Spain as the team to beat heading into the World Cup.
Spain and the World Cup 2026 mission
Spain are among the favorites for the World Cup 2026, and de la Fuente has them playing with flair and fearlessness, built around young stars Lamine Yamal and Pedri, with Gavi adding energy in midfield. See where Spain sit in our who will win the World Cup 2026 guide, how the knockouts look in our World Cup 2026 bracket, and the latest World Cup 2026 winner odds.
How de la Fuente set up against Cape Verde
Spain’s opener was a reminder that even the favorites can be frustrated. De la Fuente set the team up in a 4-3-3 and they dominated the ball, but were held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in Atlanta, lacking a clinical edge. Gavi started in midfield and Lamine Yamal was sprung from the bench to try to find a winner that would not come.
Luis de la Fuente’s World Cup 2026 start
It was a stuttering start for the European champions, held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde despite controlling the game. De la Fuente backed his side, pointing to the chances created, and Spain will expect the goals to flow as the tournament unfolds. Must be 21+ and present in a state where betting is legal. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Luis de la Fuente is a Spanish football coach and the head coach of Spain’s men’s national team since December 2022. A former left-back, he won the Euro 2024 title and rose through Spain’s youth ranks before taking the senior job.
With Spain’s senior team he won Euro 2024 and the 2023 UEFA Nations League. He had previously won the European Under-19 Championship in 2015 and the European Under-21 Championship in 2019.
He was appointed Spain’s senior head coach in December 2022, succeeding Luis Enrique after the 2022 World Cup, and his contract runs to 2028.
Spain were held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in their opener despite dominating possession, with de la Fuente’s side lacking a clinical edge in front of goal.