Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente paid the ultimate compliment to France after guiding La Roja into the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, describing Les Bleus as “one of the world’s best teams” while praising his players for producing one of their finest performances under his leadership.
Spain defeated France 2-0 in the semifinal to secure their first FIFA World Cup final appearance since lifting the trophy in South Africa in 2010. The victory also ended France’s hopes of reaching a third consecutive World Cup final after their triumph in 2018 and runners-up finish in 2022.
Reflecting on the significance of the result, De la Fuente insisted Spain’s achievement was even greater because of the quality of the opposition.
“Today we faced one of the world’s best teams. We came together four years ago for moments like this, and I’ll say it again: today we beat a team that is a step ahead of everyone else.”
The Spain manager’s remarks underlined the immense respect he has for Didier Deschamps’ side, widely regarded as one of international football’s benchmark teams after years of sustained success at major tournaments.
Since taking charge of Spain, De la Fuente has overseen a remarkable transformation, leading La Roja to UEFA Nations League success, the UEFA European Championship title, and now their first World Cup final in 16 years.
Against France, Spain once again displayed the tactical discipline and technical quality that have defined their tournament. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute before Pedro Porro doubled the advantage after the break, sending the 2010 world champions back to football’s biggest stage.
Spain also set a new national record by scoring 13 goals at a single FIFA World Cup, surpassing their previous best tally in the competition.
De la Fuente credited the unity and long-term development of his squad for making nights like the semifinal possible, noting that the foundations for the team’s success were laid years ago rather than during the tournament itself.
His comments echoed a recurring theme throughout Spain’s campaign—that championships are built through continuity, trust, and collective belief rather than individual brilliance alone.
Spain will now turn their attention to the FIFA World Cup final, where they will meet either England or defending champions Argentina in pursuit of a second world title.
Victory would cap one of the most successful periods in Spanish football history and further cement De la Fuente’s reputation as one of the game’s leading international coaches.
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