Spain reaches fourth straight final under coach De la Fuente

Spain has secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup final, continuing a remarkable streak of reaching the final in every tournament since Luis de la Fuente took the helm in 2023.

Following their semifinal victory over France on July 14, Spain will compete for the World Cup title. This achievement adds to a series of impressive finals appearances under De la Fuente, including winning the 2023 Nations League, the Euro 2024 championship, and being runners-up in the 2025 Nations League. The team's current form is underscored by a national record 37-match unbeaten run, with their last defeat dating back to March 2024.

This consistent performance in finals echoes Spain's dominant era between 2008 and 2012, when they won two consecutive European Championships and the 2010 World Cup. De la Fuente's current squad has demonstrated exceptional resilience and tactical prowess, notably ending France's World Cup knockout stage unbeaten run.

"We want to continue doing things better, and we have one more step to go," De la Fuente stated after the win against France. He described reaching the World Cup final as "a luxury, only for the chosen ones." The coach emphasized his team's superiority, saying, "Today we faced one of the best teams in the world, but they had the best team in the world in front of them, and that is different."

Spain's journey to the final has been marked by strong performances, including an undefeated campaign in Euro 2024. If they win the final on July 19, they will replicate that feat on the world stage. The team's last loss was a friendly match against Colombia, and since then, they have maintained an unbroken sequence of positive results.