Luis de la Fuente hails Spain’s 'sublime' World Cup victory and reveals secret to stopping Argentina star Lionel Messi

De la Fuente celebrated Spain's World Cup triumph after leading his team to a narrow 1-0 victory over Argentina in the 2026 final, describing the tournament as the result of continuous improvement and collective effort.

The La Roja boss felt his team deserved their success after producing the better display in the final. Although he admitted they would have preferred to settle the contest sooner, he stressed that matches of such magnitude are never straightforward and praised his players for earning victory through sacrifice.

A major tactical objective was limiting Messi's impact. Spain successfully kept the Argentina captain away from dangerous areas for much of the match, limiting the Inter Miami star's influence.

De la Fuente reflected on Spain's World Cup campaign after the final, highlighting both his side's performances throughout the tournament and the tactical discipline shown on the biggest stage. He also explained how Spain executed their plan to contain Messi.

"We had a great World Cup and we learned from every game. We were superior in the final, it's a pity we didn't win it earlier, but it is never easy to play games like this," De la Fuente told Rai Sport. "Winning with sacrifices is always the best thing."

Discussing Spain's approach to Messi, he added: "We managed to keep him away with ball possession. We did very well indeed, the work of the team was sublime."

Throughout Spain's successful campaign, De la Fuente placed greater emphasis on teamwork than individual brilliance. He built a balanced squad in which every player understood their responsibilities, creating a cohesive unit capable of competing with the world's best. The Spain coach also credited his players for maintaining the standards required to reach the top.

"I have wonderful players, brilliant, the best in the world. They make things look easier and besides that, they always work with the maximum dedication," he explained. "We had the best team, not the best national team, we had great attention and I am very proud of my players."

Spain's World Cup triumph marks another major milestone under De la Fuente and reinforces the progress made during his tenure. Having previously won Euro 2024, La Roja will aim to reach the top of the podium again at the next international tournament.