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4 months ago
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Luis de la Fuente's record as Spain manager is impressive to say the least.
Twenty games, 16 wins, two losses, two draws. Freely they score and seldom they concede.
And all on three hours' sleep, he claims. Five on a good night.
Welcome to the serene and sleep-deprived world of Luis de la Fuente, a manager who has risen from relative obscurity to take Spain to the cusp of recapturing their halcyon days.
He's already won the Euros twice - with Spain's under-19s and under-21s. Similar to Southgate, he earned his stripes as a coach in international youth football, taking charge of three development sides in nine years.
Spain manager Luis De la Fuente has won 16 of his 20 matches in charge of the national team
The 63-year-old devout Catholic has already won the Euros twice with Spanish youth teams
Much like Gareth Southgate, he made his name as a coach more with international youth teams than at club level
Eyebrows were raised when De la Fuente, 63, was appointed as Luis Enrique's successor shortly after their 2022 World Cup debacle.
Here was a boss with modest club-level experience to speak of, and none of it since 2011. Eleven second-tier matches with Alaves was as good as it got. Sound familiar?
People 'were not convinced,' when he started out, Spanish commentator Antonio Muelas told the Sun.
Since then he has gone about animating this Spain side in his own image, transforming them from a treacle-slow passing team to a dynamic, direct rush which makes the most of its players.
We're not talking an Allardycian or Dychean philosophy of direct. Spain's average possession is the fourth-most of any team at Euro 2024 and just behind England.
But they're also second in dribbles attempted and fourth in crosses, which is a good thing if your name is Alvaro Morata. Players such as Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are given the licence to drop their shoulder and try to beat their man, which will present a problem for England's wing-backs come Sunday.
De la Fuente insists that his extended time spent at youth level is a benefit.
'That has been an exceptional experience, where I began to interpret football in a different way,' he told World Soccer Magazine ahead of Euro 2024.
'I said I had an advantage which was that I knew all the players from the age of 15. That has given me the confidence to explain to them what I want of them, to continue being the same me.
De la Fuente is into bullfighting, which a small percentage of Spaniards still attend
Players have praised the togetherness and 'family' atmosphere in the Spain camp under him
He managed multiple players as kids including Dani Olmo, one of Euro 2024's top performers
'They know me, know I haven't changed, and that gives me credibility. It makes us strong and helps my message reach them better.'
Dani Olmo was man of the match in that under-21s final in 2019, and he is likely to start on Sunday alongside Unai Simon and Fabian Ruiz.
He added: 'We set a course, a path to follow, and I think that is recognisable. We wanted a versatile team, with different ways of attacking, and we have scored different types of goals. The team has grown and the feeling is that it can go a long way.'
A long way they have gone indeed. Spain's record prior to De la Fuente makes for dismal reading - a group stage exit at the 2014 World Cup, last-16 bows in 2018 and 2022. They did reach the semi-finals at Euro 2020 but only managed the last 16 i 2016.
'I think he’s built a family here, which is basically what has brought us to this point,' Joselu told The Athletic.
'We’ve won the UEFA Nations League on the way, showed some outstanding performances, and the human group assembled here has been the difference-maker.'
Aymeric Laporte concurs. 'If I am this happy while representing Spain, it’s because of such details. When you feel this trust, you end up playing freely and showing your best game. Man-management is definitely one of De la Fuente’s strongest assets,' he told The Athletic.
An avuncular and team-oriented character, Spain's boss knows how to involve people. At youth tournaments he would ask family members to record motivational messages that could be played to his team ahead of matches.
De la Fuente faced calls to resign after applauding Luis Rubiales' defiant speech last year
RFEF president Rubiales was heavily criticised after he kissed Jenni Hermoso on the mouth
Spain's boss apologised for supporting the embattled official and called it 'unjustifiable'
Following national team camps, he personally messages every staff member involved on WhatsApp - even the security guards and cooks. At the Euros, he makes sure to speak with fans outside training when he can and, because he is a fitness freak, he will then cycle back to the team hotel.
Perhaps you can trace his values to his Catholic faith. Watch closely before Spain take on England and you'll see him make the sign of the cross.
'There are not one, but a thousand reasons to believe in God. Without God, nothing in life has meaning,' he once said.
Then again, little mercy is extended if you happen to be a bull. De la Fuente is a taurino, a bullfighting fan.
'Super proud to be Spanish, Catholic and a bullfighting fan,' he told AS. 'I am more than proud, very proud to be everything they say. And since I am free, I choose what I like, with all due respect for others.'
He has had to weather storms to win the hearts of the nation. After beating Norway unconvincingly, De la Fuente lost his second game in charge to Scotland in March 2023, succumbing to a Scott McTominay brace.
The Spaniard faced calls to resign last year after he applauded then-Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales in a speech where he refused to resign.
Rubiales had, of course, kissed Spain player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth as she collected her medal after the nation beat England 1-0 in the Women's World Cup final.
He has given stars such as Lamine Yamal freedom to be themselves and run at players
Fabian Ruiz has been one of the tournament's best players under the manager
Footage also emerged that showed Rubiales grabbing his nether regions while standing near Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter Princess Infanta Sofia.
'I am not going to resign,' he shouted four times in a charged speech following an emergency meeting of federation officials, vowing 'I will fight until the end.'
Rubiales blamed 'false feminism' for a 'social murder' against him - and De la Fuente was one of the those in the audience filmed clapping vigorously. Cue calls for his head.
De la Fuente has since apologised and said: 'What I did is unjustifiable. What I'm trying to expose is the context. I was overwhelmed, I didn't know how to live up to it and I couldn't control my emotions.
'When you later reflect and see yourself on cameras... I don't recognize myself. Inside the forest one sees nothing but branches and when one separates from the forest one sees the true situation.'
After a full-hearted apology, the route back for him from there was to win people over with his results, and De la Fuente has done just that.
He has also brought new life to players. While many expected Rodri to be the star of Spain's midfield, his engine room partner Ruiz has arguably dazzled even more, registering two goals and two assists. The PSG star has played 28 times for Spain and never lost, a foreboding statistic for England.
Meanwhile, Marc Cucurella, widely considered a flop at Chelsea, has been possibly the best left-back at Euro 2024.
De la Fuente has made Spain favourites to win Euro 2024 - a huge sign of their progress
Southgate will attempt to outwit a boss who has beaten Italy, Croatia, Germany, and France already this tournament
De la Fuente has taken the hard route with Spain. Wins over Italy, Croatia, Germany, and France underline their credentials as champions-elect.
Few would have considered Spain to be favourites in a match-up with England ahead of the tournament, but the Basque boss has flipped the script. To be honest, he had it flipped inside 45 minutes against Croatia. England fans hope his house falls as quickly as it has been designed.
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