‘I never thought of anything like this’, says Spain’s coach de la Fuente

Luis de la Fuente hailed his players after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra-time to win the FIFA World Cup on Sunday (July 19, 2026 ), saying the triumph belonged to a generation that had embraced collective sacrifice and written its place in football history.

“I never thought of anything like this,” De la Fuente said. “I always just wanted joy in moments. When you look back at this process, I would not have achieved anything without these players. The journey with this raw material, this talent. Spanish footballers, the way they compete. These players are amazing.”

The 65-year-old dedicated the victory to his squad and coaching staff, insisting the players were the true architects of Spain’s second World Cup triumph. “First of all I would like to thank the whole staff and everyone who worked with us. The players are the true protagonists. We feel satisfaction, pride. It’s such an honour to be the coach of these amazing players.”

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Before kickoff, De la Fuente reminded his squad of the occasion awaiting them. “I said, ‘Gentlemen, we have an appointment with history, and we want to be there first.’”

Spain’s disciplined defensive display kept Lionel Messi quiet for long spells, with De la Fuente revealing that stopping the Argentina captain had been central to the game plan.

“We had a game plan where the first idea was to keep Messi at bay, but also other players away from our goal. Something very important was the attitude of our players. We were convinced it was our final and we wanted to go all out for this final. If it wasn’t for their goalkeeper, we might have had a larger win.”

The Spain coach also singled out teenage star Lamine Yamal for praise, highlighting his willingness to put the team above individual glory. “I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Lamine for becoming a great footballer. He’s really sacrificed for the collective good. In my opinion, he played a great World Cup.”

Asked what remained for a team that had now conquered Europe and the world, De la Fuente smiled. “Once we finished the game, there were footballers who said, ‘Now what else is there to win?’ The answer is the next match in September. This team is relentless.”