Coach's connection: De la Fuente taught Scaloni before World Cup final clash

The World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina will feature a unique sideline duel between coaches Luis de la Fuente and Lionel Scaloni, who share a past connection.

Nine years ago, De la Fuente served as Scaloni's professor during a UEFA Pro coaching license course at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas, Spain. Scaloni, then recently retired from his playing career, chose Spain for his coaching education due to his strong ties to the country where he played for clubs like Deportivo La Coruña and Mallorca. De la Fuente, who was then working with Spain's youth teams, taught tactics and game systems.

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I am happy for him. He deserves it. He is a great guy. Everything we see in his team is what we expect to see in ours. If things don't go well for us, I'll call him. If we play the final against him… no. Let's hope there's no call until after the match.

Scaloni has spoken fondly of De la Fuente, recalling him as a helpful instructor and a good person. Their professional relationship evolved into a friendship based on mutual respect. Even before Argentina's semifinal match, Scaloni publicly praised De la Fuente after Spain eliminated France, expressing happiness for his former professor's success and joking about calling him if Argentina didn't reach the final.

Their paths to the elite level of coaching have been distinct. De la Fuente spent over a decade nurturing Spain's youth national teams, achieving international success before taking over the senior squad in December 2022. He has since led Spain to win the 2023 Nations League and the 2024 European Championship. Scaloni, on the other hand, initially took the reins of Argentina as an interim coach.

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He was my professor in the coaching course.