Luis de la Fuente may have the biggest job in Spanish soccer, but many beyond the Iberian peninsula might not even know who he is. The Spanish national team coach was appointed in late 2022 after the World Cup, but has already built up a number of enemies and opponents, despite seeking to avoid controversy.
De la Fuente joined the RFEF and the Spanish national team set-up in 2013, initially to work with the under 19s as their manager while Vicente del Bosque remained in charge of the senior side. Two years later, he won won the European Championships at under 19 level, Spain’s first title in the competition, and in 2018, he stepped up to take over the under 21s side after Albert Celades left to join Julen Lopetegui at Real Madrid.
That loyalty would be remembered later on. He oversaw 42 games with the under 21s in total, losing only four, and would once again emerge victorious in the European Championships for the age group in 2019. He was then given the chance to lead Spain at the 2020 Olympic Games, where Spain were beaten by Brazil in the final.
His appointment
Following the decision to part ways with Luis Enrique following World Cup elimination against Morocco, De la Fuente was thrown into the spotlight. Spain had disappointed in Qatar, but Luis Enrique was said to be keen to continue, and it was the RFEF who decided against the possibility of continuing. Names such as the respected former Valencia coach Marcelino were linked,
Right from the start, De La Fuente’s appointment was questioned. While his record with the youth teams had been impressive, his most recent stint outside of the RFEF was 12 years ago and saw him sacked by Alavés in the third tier of Spanish soccer. Before that, his only experience in the senior game came with the B team of Athletic Club, again in the third tier.
He made himself out as a man of the establishment, who would fit in with the RFEF and not cause any problems. Quite the opposite of the controversial and irritable Luis Enrique, who had gone against RFEF wishes to stream live from the World Cup camp and rocked the apple cart in the process.
De la Fuente’s strong relationships with powerful voices in the media made sure that he was given the benefit of the doubt, despite his lack of elite experience. “His track record backs him up, but more so does his way of being,” Ignacio Camacho wrote in Diario AS at the time of his appointment with a column entitled ‘Luis de la Fuente, the new Captain Spain’. “‘He’s a really nice guy, a legend’, are the most repeated words among journalists who have covered the national youth teams in recent years.”
His round of media interviews with the dominant communication outlets following his appointment appeased many and got journalists on his side,
Results on the field
He has now led his country into six matches, with a record of five wins and a single defeat. That has included some impressive results, such as 7-1 and 6-0 victories, though they have come against sides who Spain are expected to beat comfortably, such as Georgia and Cyprus.
The 62-year-old coach has even got his hands on silverware. Luis Enrique had already qualified the team for the UEFA
EFA
Despite that, not all are impressed. His selection decisions have seen him stick to the ‘old guard’ of Spanish soccer, which may have gone down well with influential figures at Real Madrid and Barcelona, but not across the rest of the clubs which make up the Spanish sporting structure.
While his decision to call up 16-year-old Lamine Yamal or Real Madrid left-back Fran García could be understood by many, but less so the decision to recall Nacho, Real Madrid’s 33-year-old captain who had been absent from the Spain scene for five years and started less than half of his club’s league matches last season.
In particular, his decision to push for the nationalization of French-born Real Sociedad defender Ruben Le Normand to line-up alongside fellow French-born Al Nassr defender Aymeric Laporte, has upset some.
His defeat in European Championships qualifying, the only game in which he has failed to take the win, was labelled one of Spain’s biggest humiliations in recent years. It saw Spain completely outsmarted tactically by Steve Clarke’s Scotland side with a 2-0 win for the home side in Glasgow. That result now means that Spain must beat Scotland in Seville on Thursday if they are to top their qualifying group.
The Rubiales affair
De la Fuente’s biggest problem has been the drama surrounding Luis Rubiales, the man who appointed him as Spain coach before being forced out after his handling of the incident with Jennifer Hermoso at the Women’s World Cup final
It’s an issue which had caused him problems even before the Women’s World Cup. When 15 players walked out of the squad in protest against coach Jorge Vilda, De la Fuente surprised many by speaking about the issue to say, “I want to send my support to my colleague Jorge Vilda and all my encouragement.”
One World Cup win and one unwelcome kiss later, De la Fuente was pictured standing next to Villa, rising to his feet to give a standing ovation to the disgraced RFEF president Luis Rubiales as he gave his infamous “I will not resign” speech.
Days later, after a media storm and action from the Spanish government and FIFA to force Rubiales out, De la Fuente issued a statement saying that, “I went convinced that we were attending a formal farewell ceremony… I was not prepared… When I see myself on camera I don’t recognise myself. If I could go back, I wouldn’t do it again.”
He continues to be circled by the controversy. The courts have now called De la Fuente as a witness to the trial, something which the coach seems baffled by. “I’ll go, I’ll answer the questions I’m asked, and I’ll go home happy,” he said when asked. “I don’t know why I’ve been called.”
While he is in the courts to testify, he will also face judgements on the field. His backing within the RFEF has vanished, with many of his biggest supporters having departed, and another slip-up could see European Championship qualification thrown into doubt.
His contract extends to the end of that tournament in the summer of 2024 and an interim board of the RFEF being reluctant to make sweeping changes could be his saving grace, but it already seems inevitable that the next RFEF president will want to make changes. With elections possible either in January 2024 or later, De la Fuente will have few opportunities left to complete his audition.
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