Follow usLuis de la Fuente is finding life in Spain much easier now after his team successfully qualified for the Euro 2024 after narrow 1-0 win over Norway.
The 62-year-old has experience a turbulent year after being appointed as Luis Enrique’s heir following a disastrous last 16 exit at the World Cup. And the former Bilbao’s coach did not have it easy, losing to Scotland 2-0 in March, which immediately put him under pressure.
However, six consecutive wins have restored the faith in him and he has his chin high up after securing an Euro 2024 spot.
“We are always learning,” De la Fuente said. “At that moment the analysis was different than it is now. We’ve just reached an important objective and we have to keep working and learning. We recognize what was done well, but we know there are still things to improve.”
De la Fuente put Spain back on the map by relying primarily on young talent. He kept players like Gavi, Ansu Fati and Pedri — who played at the World Cup — and brought in others such as 16-year-old Barcelona hot-shot Lamine Yamal.
His experience with the nation’s youth squads proved important, and he now has his job secured for a while.
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