Luis de la Fuente: Spain are “the team to beat”

26.09.26 14:45 UEFA Nations League A

England

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Spain

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Spain head into the Nations League with a particular status after winning the World Cup this summer. In comments reported by The Guardian, manager Luis de la Fuente acknowledges that his team will be under particular scrutiny, while also recalling that past successes guarantee nothing going forward.

“We are the team to beat”

World champions this summer after their victory over Argentina in the final, Spain have won two consecutive major titles, following their triumph at Euro 2024. Ahead of their first Nations League match against England, Luis de la Fuente believes that this status should above all push his players to maintain their high standards:

We know that Spain are the team to beat, we know that makes things more difficult. But it motivates us and we are ready to rise to this challenge.

The Spain manager also refuses to view the World Cup title as a guarantee ahead of this new competition:

What we did at the World Cup is not enough to keep winning matches or to beat England. We have to be better.

De la Fuente remains confident in his squad

Luis de la Fuente nevertheless insists that he feels no particular concern ahead of the start of the tournament. The Spain manager highlights in particular the mentality of his squad and its ability to respond to expectations.

I do not feel any concern. This is our culture, our mentality, our attitude. Success is not just about winning; it is about being in a position to be able to win. I will always trust my players.

Spain will begin the Nations Leagues with a squad largely similar to the one that won the World Cup, but with their manager clearly determined to maintain the same level of high standards. This new campaign comes after Luis de la Fuente signed a contract extension, with his deal with the Spain national team now running until the summer of 2032.

Aliou Toundé |

Editorfr

Related teams and leagues

England

Spain

UEFA Nations League A