Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has praised Barcelona star Lamine Yamal following La Roja’s win over Argentina at World Cup 2026.
A single goal from Barcelona forward Ferran Torres in extra-time was enough for Spain to be crowned world champions for a second time, and De la Fuente praised the Shark and Yamal after the win.
“I have to give Lamine credit. He played a different kind of football. We’re very grateful that he sacrificed himself for the good of the team,” he told reporters.
“In my opinion, he
had a great World Cup. And with Ferran, I’ll just say that life is fair. And those who fall and get back up always get something back. He’s a part of history now, but he earned it and he deserves it.”
The Spain boss also revealed what he told his players before kick-off in the World Cup final.
“Gentlemen, we have a date with history,” he added. “And in extra time, I simply reminded them that we were doing a great job, but that any lapse in concentration could cost us dearly. After the match, some players asked me, ‘What, do we still have left to win?’ Well, the next match in September is against England.”
The Spain squad are now heading back to Europe with the World Cup trophy and will continue their celebrations in the capital.
