CORNERFLICK
Vicente del Bosque has praised Luis de la Fuente after Spain’s World Cup final win, saying the national team coach built success through calm, consistency and trust in his squad.
Speaking to Kicker, the 2010 World Cup-winning coach said Spain’s pool of managers has helped drive the country’s progress. He pointed to the number of Spaniards working in top leagues across Europe and elsewhere, and noted that Luis Enrique and Mikel Arteta were on opposite benches in the last Champions League final.
Del Bosque gave particular credit to de la Fuente, saying he created “a real team” from his 26-player squad. He highlighted the impact of Fran Torres and Nico Williams in the final, saying their introduction changed the match and helped Spain secure victory.
He also said de la Fuente kept faith with players through injuries rather than panicking, waiting for them to recover before continuing with the same core group. For Del Bosque, that stability and commitment to his principles were the key factors behind the triumph.