The coach and the European champions: the fable of Luis de la Fuente, Spain's humble manager
Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- Luis de la Fuente, Spain's national football team coach, has an unconventional background, never having managed in a top-tier league.
- Despite his lack of top-flight experience, he led Spain to a European Championship title.
- De la Fuente's personal background includes roots in Haro, a town famous for its wine festival, and a playing career with Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla FC.
Luis de la Fuente, the current coach of Spain's national football team, presents a unique profile for leading one of the world's top squads. Remarkably, he has never managed a team in a top-division league, yet he guided 'La Roja' to a European Championship title.
This unconventional career path is one of his defining characteristics. De la Fuente's personal life is also marked by distinct elements. He hails from Haro, a town in the Rioja wine region renowned for its "Batalla del vino" (Battle of Wine) festival. His parents were a seamstress and a sailor, and he is described as a devout Catholic.
De la Fuente's football journey began at age 16 when he joined the youth ranks of Athletic Bilbao, known as the "zurigorriak" (red and whites). He went on to play professionally for the club 211 times before transferring to Sevilla FC in 1987, where the team is known as the "blanquirrojos" (whites and reds).
His upcoming match against Portugal is described as a highly uncertain Iberian derby, adding another layer of anticipation to his tenure as coach.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Le Temps in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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