De la Fuente Addresses Concerns Over Yamal as Spain Eyes World Cup Final
Luis de la Fuente walked into the press room with a place in the World Cup final secured and one immediate task on his hands: calm a nation worried about its new prodigy.
Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona teenager who has lit up this tournament, had been seen limping at different moments during Spain’s 2-0 semi-final win over France on Tuesday. In a country that has already fastened its hopes to his left foot, every grimace felt like a national emergency.
The coach moved quickly to shut that down.
“Lamine doesn't have anything that I know of. I've spoken with the doctors now,” De la Fuente said, offering the reassurance Spain wanted as La Roja prepare for Sunday’s final. Early reports from the medical staff are described as encouraging, and there is no suggestion of a serious problem for the youngster.
The more immediate concern sits elsewhere on the right flank.
Pedro Porro, who started against France, was forced off in the 85th minute and replaced by Marcos Llorente. The Tottenham defender is now being monitored for a muscle strain after what De la Fuente described as an overuse issue.
“Pedro Porro seems to have overuse injuries, but we'll see tomorrow,” he explained, leaving a small cloud over the full-back’s availability for the showpiece.
Pride, power and no talk of luck
If the injury updates soothed nerves, the coach’s assessment of Spain’s performance against the 2018 world champions revealed something deeper: a conviction that this run is no fairy tale.
De la Fuente spoke with a mixture of pride and steel as he reflected on the victory that sent Spain into another World Cup final, 14 years after lifting the trophy in 2010.
“I'm surprised by what this team is capable of, and the room for improvement is endless,” he said. “This isn't by chance: it's talent, hard work, sacrifice, perseverance, and we knew we had to keep improving little by little throughout the tournament.”
There was even a hint of frustration amid the euphoria. Spain, flawless so far, had missed out on one more historic marker.
“We would have liked to win the first match, because we would have broken another record,” he admitted. “But we're in fantastic form, both in terms of our football and our physical condition.”
The message was clear: this is not a team riding momentum; it is a team built for this.
“The best at understanding the game”
De la Fuente did not shy away from big statements. Asked about the level his squad has reached, he placed Spanish footballers at the very summit of the international game.
“For me, Spanish footballers are the best at understanding the game in the world, and that's an achievement of Spanish coaches and clubs,” he said.
It was a bold claim, but one underpinned by the collective maturity Spain showed in subduing France. Tactical discipline, physical resilience, and a refusal to retreat into their shell once ahead – all hallmarks of a side that believes it belongs on this stage.
Yet even in his praise, the coach refused to indulge in triumphalism. Satisfaction, he insisted, would have to wait.
“We're happy, but we're not satisfied with this,” he stressed.
Eyes on the hardest step
The semi-final brought celebration, but De la Fuente’s gaze was already fixed on the final. Spain will face either England or Argentina, with the chance to repeat their 2010 achievement and reclaim the sport’s biggest prize.
“What's coming is more difficult, and we're eager to play the final,” he said. “But the final is meant to be played; I'm not one for literary phrases. How could you not be happy to play in a final! Whether you win it or not... there's an opponent.”
That line captured his approach: no grand speeches, no destiny talk. Just a deep respect for the process and the path that brought Spain here.
“I greatly value the journey, and that's what makes us very strong and allows us to appreciate what we achieve,” he added.
A call from the king
If anyone needed reminding of the scale of Spain’s achievement, it came from the very top. King Felipe VI phoned the dressing room to congratulate the squad, a gesture that underlined how far this team has carried the country in the past weeks.
“It is a great honor that our king calls us, cares about us, and constantly encourages us,” De la Fuente said. “To be the architects of the joy of a country so devoted in the streets, with a generation that has a commendable attitude.”
There was no temptation to linger in the moment. Not from this coach.
“Let's enjoy it, the hardest step is still to come, we have to improve and that's what we're working on.”
Spain have their place in the final, their star boy seemingly unscathed, and a coach who refuses to let anyone believe the job is done. The stage is set; now they must prove that all this talk of talent, work and understanding of the game can carry them through the one match that defines eras.
