These titles are no coincidence. They are a testament to the transitional work that De la Fuente has put in place and perfected with the Spanish national team, prioritising a close look at the youth teams and introducing them as part of a natural process of fitting into the senior squad.
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Luis de la Fuente was only a modest player, without many glories in his country's football. But he found pleasure in the clubhouse, especially working for the Royal Spanish Football Federation, where he began his career in 2013. In other words, he's been linked to the association for over a decade and has piled up titles ever since.
He started at Under-19 level, when he became European champion in 2015. Three years later, he won the Mediterranean Games with Spain U18. That year, 2018, he was promoted to the U-21 team. In 2019, in his new role, he won the European Championship with his young stars.
In 2021, he was a silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, losing the final to the Brazilian national team.
His career led him to the top job in Spanish football in 2023, when he was chosen in an internal vote for "knowing the present and future of Spanish football".
It's no coincidence that he made this clear in the talented group of players he took to Germany this summer for the European Championship. Transitioning between the experience of players like Jesús Navas and the youth of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, De la Fuente has added a special flavour to the Spanish mix.
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The result couldn't have been any different. It ended with Spain serving up entertainment on a memorable day. A team that broke with the pragmatism of tiki-taka and started to bet on a more aggressive and vertical style.
In addition to his characteristics, he has a reputation as a good team manager and a devotion to his ideas, always prioritising freedom within a context of order. A perfect mix that made Spain the great European champions in 2024.