Luis de la Fuente is approaching his second anniversary in charge of the Spanish national team. Over the course of 25 matches, he managed to guide La Roja to the pinnacle of European football, winning two titles in two years: the 2023 UEFA Nations League and the upcoming 2024 European Championship. Beyond the accolades , the coach deserves praise for instilling an unwavering philosophy no matter which players make up his starting XI. The team operates like a well-oiled machine, with strong group dynamics off the field, ensuring that each player feels valued and ready to seize their opportunity when it presents itself.
An example of this was the victory against Denmark in Copenhagen, the group’s most formidable opponent, played in freezing winter conditions, contrasting with the electric atmosphere created by passionate supporters at the Parken Stadium. Among the team that played in the Euro final in Berlin on July 14, only three players remained: Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella and Dani Olmo. However, the style of play exhibited by La Roja from the start was simply overwhelming. The first fifteen minutes in Copenhagen showed one of the best iterations of Luis de la Fuente’s mature Spain, a team that commands respect through its style of play rather than simply its results, which have also been impressive. Indeed, under coach Riojan, Spain has played 21 competitive matches, losing only once—an outing to Scotland in March 2023, now a distant memory.
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In Copenhagen, the team had to deal with the absence of key players. They faced their toughest match of the Nations League group stage without Rodri, the Ballon d’Or winner, as well as Lamine Yamal, Carvajal, Le Normand and Unai Simón, while Morata and Fabián were not not at 100% physical fitness.
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However, other players were able to stand up. David Raya, who shared a mistake with Fabián during the match, established himself as a reliable goalkeeper in the absence of Unai Simón. In March, when Simón returns, it will undoubtedly spark debate, despite Luis’ strong confidence in his abilities. Vivian also solidified his place in the absence of Le Normand—another successful gamble from the coach, similar to the left-back position, which will be difficult to fill as long as Cucurella and Grimaldo play at that level.
The midfielder is also worth mentioning. De la Fuente has always insisted he has the second best midfielder in the world, and Zubimendi is proving him right in Rodri’s absence. Merino and Fabián are two others who have grown in stature and are fighting for places alongside Pedri in the middle.
Up front, the Spanish team showed Friday that it has versatility. They can play with pure wingers or players with quick movements, as was demonstrated in Copenhagen, where they initially left out Nico Williams. The Riojan coach is a staunch defender of Dani Olmo, whom he considers “the best number 10 in the world,” and has entrusted him with the task of orchestrating the play between the lines. He also rallied his troops: Oyarzabal, among others, who scored the winning goal in the Euro final. In the past he gave Baena his debut, and Ayoze’s inclusion was also a gamble ahead of Germany. Few thought of his call, but the Canarian shows his quality and secures a place in each selection. He found the back of the net again on Friday and will play again in his homeland on Monday.
