Luis de la Fuente officially snagged the Ballon d’Or for men’s coach of the year on Monday, and seriously, what a journey! He just led Spain to World Cup glory, and picking up that prestigious award in London is the cherry on top.
The Coach Who Puts the Team First
De la Fuente isn’t just winning awards; he is all about that team mentality. “Teamwork makes us invincible. This is a great honour,” he said after getting the award. He credits his players, too, saying the secret is working with “very generous players that put the team first.” It sounds like he really believes in the talent pool Spain has, calling it “the best in the world,” which makes his job, as he sees it, about harnessing that amazing skill.
In an era where we often see former superstar players jumping into coaching, the 65-year-old de la Fuente really stands out. He is a technician, someone who grinded his way up through the national coaching ranks in Spain. His playing career was solid, but his club coaching stint wasn’t exactly legendary. Get this: in 2013, he was just flipping through the sports pages and saw an advert from the Spanish Football Federation looking for a youth team coach. He applied, got the job with Spain’s Under-19s, and thirteen years later, some of those same players were part of the squads he led to victory!
From U-19s to World Cup Glory
This isn’t just about one big win either. De la Fuente has been building something special, leading Spain to victories in the Nations League, Euro 2024, and now, the World Cup. Talk about a coaching clinic!
During the World Cup itself, held in the United States this summer, de la Fuente was confident from day one, insisting Spain had the strongest squad in the tournament. Even when they stumbled out of the gate with a goalless draw against World Cup debutants Cape Verde, he knew what he had. They just built momentum with each match. They took down one of the pre-tournament favourites, France, in a clinical 2-0 win in the semi-final, showing everyone they meant business. The final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina in New Jersey was tight, but de la Fuente’s men kept their cool against some seriously muscular tactics from the opposition. Ferran Torres smashed in the winning goal, sealing a 1-0 victory and that World Cup title. What a run!
Spain’s Coaching Dominance Extends
While de la Fuente was celebrated, the women’s coaching award went to Barcelona’s Pere Romeu. He masterminded a season where his team literally swept everything: the Spanish league, Spanish cup, Super Cup, and Champions League. It just shows the level of coaching talent coming out of Spain right now. De la Fuente’s win really caps off a remarkable year for him and Spanish football.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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