The Story of De la Fuente: From Wine Town to Spain’s National Team Boss

Where He Grew Up

De la Fuente grew up in a town called Haro. It is in La Rioja, a famous wine region in Spain.
Haro is home to a fun event called the Batalla del Vino (which means "Wine Battle"):

• Every year, thousands of people wear white clothes.
• They throw red wine at each other until everyone is soaked!

After He Stopped Playing Football

De la Fuente stopped being a football player in 1994. After that, he worked in football for 15 years in many different jobs:

• He managed teams in the lower (smaller) Spanish leagues.
• He worked with young players (youth roles).
• He was an assistant coach for different clubs.

A Tough Time Out of Football

He was the manager of a team called Deportivo Alaves (a second-tier team, where he had also finished his playing career).

• He was fired (sacked) from there in 2011.
• He did not have a football job for the next 18 months.
• He started to drift away from football (meaning he was not really part of it anymore).

How He Joined the Spanish Football Federation

His story with the federation (the big group that runs football in Spain) started with a leap of faith:

• He saw a newspaper ad asking for a youth coach (someone who trains young players) for the Spanish federation.
• He called Inaki Saez, who used to be the manager of Spain’s national team.
• Saez told the football association that De la Fuente was the perfect man for the job.

The first contract was super short:

• Only three months!
• His job was to take Spain’s Under-19 team (players under 19 years old) to the European Championship in Lithuania.

Important Point: Sometimes a small chance, like a newspaper ad, can totally change your life!

Winning and Moving Up

• In that first tournament, his team lost to France in the semi-finals.
• But he did well enough to get a new contract.
• Next, he took players like Rodri, Unai Simon, and Mikel Merino to the next Under-19 Euros — and they won it!
• From there, things just kept getting better.

Becoming Spain’s National Team Boss

In 2022, De la Fuente became the boss (head coach) of Spain’s main national team.
Here is the cool part:

• He had already coached most of these players since they were teenagers.
• He worked with them at Under-19, Under-21, and Olympic levels.
• They won titles (trophies) together on the way.

He has known players like Dani Olmo, Martin Zubimendi, Pedri, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Marc Cucurella — and even their families — for about ten years.

His Method and Values

What is his secret way of working?

• He builds a culture of respect: respect for rivals (the other team), respect for the process (how things are done), and he teaches patience and calmness.

His life and work are built on:

• Sacrifice (giving up things for the team)
• Humility (not acting like you are better than others)
• Collective responsibility (everyone shares the duty)

These are like sporting versions of religious values.

Small Gestures That Show Who He Is

You can see his values in little actions:

• Before Euro 2024 final: Half an hour before the big match, with the stadium filling up, he was on the phone making sure his family got there safely.
• During a World Cup match: He is 65 years old. He found out mid-match that the federation’s photographer’s mother had died. He pulled the photographer into a group hug with the squad.
• Before the semi-final vs France: A question about his brother, who died three years ago, made him visibly break down in the pre-match news conference.

Important Point: Family is the really important thing for De la Fuente. It is the foundation of everything around him. His son, Alberto, is even part of Spain’s coaching staff!

Summary

De la Fuente went from a wine-loving town in Spain to coaching the country’s top football team. After a slow start and a hard break from football, he took a small youth job, won with young players, and stayed with them for years. His calm, respectful, and family-first approach helped him lead Spain with heart.

FAQ

1. What is the Batalla del Vino?
It is a yearly wine battle in Haro, La Rioja, where people in white clothes throw red wine at each other.

2. How did De la Fuente get his first job with Spain’s federation?
He saw a newspaper ad for a youth coach, called a former Spain manager who recommended him, and got a three-month contract.

3. Why is family so important to him?
He believes family is the foundation of everything. He knows his players’ families and even has his son working on his coaching staff.

4. What values does he teach his teams?
Respect, patience, calmness, sacrifice, humility, and shared responsibility.