Forget the goals and the result. In Prague, it was De la Fuente's words that stole the show. The Spain coach walked into the press conference knowing exactly how much noise Lamine Yamal's absence had generated, having fielded question after question about why the Barcelona star had arrived late to the national team camp. The moment it came up, he shut it down in a firm tone: "Talking about ignorance is the saddest and most regrettable thing in life."
De la Fuente left no room for interpretation. The decision to delay Lamine's arrival, just as he had done with Mikel Oyarzabal, was his and his alone, and everyone agreed on it except him, a nod to the fact that he holds the final word.
No special treatment, he insisted, and he would have done the same with any other player in the same situation. "He has no special privileges. We would have done the same with anyone," he said, before venting his frustration at the lies, the fabrication and the lack of accuracy and credibility.
The message was unmistakable: his decisions are not up for negotiation, and he will not let them become fodder for controversy without the full picture, according to Spanish newspaper "AS".
Facing Barcelona: the dispute repeats itself
This was not the first time De la Fuente had been forced to defend decisions involving Lamine Yamal. Almost a year earlier, in November 2025, the player again took centre stage, but the dispute that time was with Barcelona and their coach Hansi Flick.
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The crisis began when the Spanish Football Federation issued an official statement expressing its astonishment and displeasure. On Monday 10 November, the first day of the camp, it learned that the player had undergone a minor medical procedure using radiofrequency to treat pain in the pubic area, without anyone informing the federation beforehand.
Lamine had made the national team squad before being withdrawn due to his condition, which prompted the federation to criticise how Barcelona had handled the matter.
Speaking to "Cadena SER" radio, De la Fuente explained that the club should have made its intentions clear in advance, while keeping the right to take whatever decision it felt best served its player.
He called what happened astonishing, before repeating his position on "RNE" radio and insisting he had never faced a similar situation. Once again, the Spanish coach made his objection plain and did not try to hide his displeasure.
Flick lacked empathy, and De la Fuente responds
What stood out, though, is that De la Fuente did not meet Hansi Flick's remarks with the same sharpness he aimed at the other criticisms.
The German coach had hit out at the way Spain handled Lamine, arguing that the player joined the camp injured and was given painkillers so he could feature, then played more than 70 minutes in every match despite Spain being three goals ahead.
Protecting young players should be a priority, Flick said, voicing his sadness at what had happened.
Asked about those comments, De la Fuente did not hesitate to push back, but aimed a different observation at his German counterpart: "I missed empathy, because he was a national team coach himself."
Here another side of his character surfaced. He does not reject disagreement, but he expects anyone who has held the same job to understand the responsibility and the hard calls that managing national teams demands.
Carvajal and Morata: no place for big names
That decisiveness runs through his selection choices too, even when it concerns big names with a long history in the Spain setup.
Leaving Dani Carvajal and Álvaro Morata out of the World Cup squad sparked widespread debate, fuelled by speculation over their chances of a recall.
De la Fuente was blunt about Carvajal, explaining that the player needs time to rediscover his best form and prove he can still add something.
Past call-ups guarantee nothing in the future, he added, insisting the player would understand the decision if the staff were forced to leave him out.
Sure enough, both missed out. It was fresh proof that names and history buy no one immunity in this national team, and that his first yardstick remains readiness and the ability to serve the group.
Sergio Ramos: two difficult decisions with no going back
One of the toughest calls of De la Fuente's tenure was leaving Sergio Ramos out of Spain's squad for Euro 2024.
He admitted that omitting a defender of Ramos's stature ranked among the hardest decisions of his career, yet he refused to let emotion or pressure sway him.
It was not the first time he had resisted calls to pick the former Real Madrid captain. He took a similar stance before the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, when Ramos was in the frame to join the Olympic team as one of the over-age players allowed.
Media pressure and demands from those around the player could not move him. De la Fuente held firm while making clear his huge respect for Ramos: "Sergio Ramos knows how much I appreciate him. I am a great admirer of what he represents, but I am sure he understands why I took this decision, because he is a professional footballer and a great teammate."
Respecting stars, the coach proved, does not mean backing down, and keeping the balance of the group can sometimes mean leaving out its biggest names.
Brahim Díaz: no one is obliged to represent Spain
March 2025 brought a different challenge, after Brahim Díaz triggered widespread debate over his international future.
The player, who felt he had not been backed enough by the Spanish Federation, chose Morocco, joining the Atlas Lions project.
Spain tried to respond with a call-up, but Díaz had already made his mind up, convinced the approach had come too late.
A similar row followed with Assane Diao, who opted for Senegal. De la Fuente handled it with clear logic, insisting that joining Spain must come from the player's own desire rather than pressure or coercion.
"There are three fundamental principles that must be adhered to: that they be available, that they want it, and that we call them up. The most important is the second. No one is obliged to play for Spain," he said.
He then pointed to the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Robin Le Normand, Lamine Yamal, Samu Omorodion and Dean Huijsen, players who chose Spain with no strings attached.
For him, the value of the national team starts with the player wanting to wear the shirt.
The press and Lamine: protection from early criticism
His interventions were not limited to selection calls and disputes with clubs and coaches. They stretched to how the media and fans treat young talent.
He defended Lamine Yamal after the teenager emerged as one of Spain's brightest stars at the European Championship, warning against loading him with responsibility and expectation while he was still only seventeen during the tournament.
"It seems as if a long time has passed, and he has not even turned eighteen. He turned seventeen during the European Championship," the Spanish coach said.
Let the player enjoy football and do what he loves, he urged, while giving him the time to mature and grow.
He also fired a direct warning at the media: they might celebrate the boy today, then turn on him after two games without a goal and start questioning his ability.
His goal was simple. Protect an exceptional talent from the pressures that could stall its development.
A lesson on the pitch: the team before the star
Another moment laid bare a core part of his philosophy. It came against Germany in the Euro 2024 quarter-final, when he hooked Lamine in the 61st minute. The Barcelona player trudged off looking frustrated, a scene that raised a few eyebrows about his reaction.
Asked about it by "AS", the coach delivered an answer loaded with a clear lesson: the player's hunger to stay on is legitimate, but sulking at being substituted can show a lack of respect for the teammate coming on in his place.
"It is the player's right to aspire to play, but complaining in this way is a lack of respect for the player who will replace him," he said. The interest of the team must come first, he stressed, and every player has to accept the staff's decisions while recognising that his teammate has the same right to a chance.
He later insisted his relationship with Lamine is excellent, yet he still delivered the message he felt was needed, so a fleeting incident would not snowball into a bigger crisis.
Flexibility does not mean concession: a personality that settles the debate
In the end, De la Fuente's record reveals a coaching character that goes well beyond the calm and flexibility he shows at press conferences.
He knows when to listen and when to weigh up different views. He also knows when to use his authority to settle matters.
From Lamine Yamal to Sergio Ramos, from Brahim Díaz to Carvajal and Morata, he has never let big names or media pressure force decisions on him he does not believe in.
Those traits can fade behind the wins and the titles Spain have collected, but his career confirms he does not run the group on calmness alone, nor does he treat his stars with the logic of privilege.
Flexible in style, firm in his calls, he can use a word as effectively as his authority on the pitch. For De la Fuente, there is room for understanding and for disagreement, but the final decision always rests with the coach.
