The Spanish Federation has made official this Thursday the goodbye of Luis Enrique as national coach, although it has not yet announced the name of his replacement. As ABC has reported, Roberto Martínez and Marcelino are playing, but at this time the best placed to occupy the bench is a man of the house, Luis de la Fuente, currently in charge of the U-21 team. Who is Luis de la Fuente?
Born in the La Rioja town of Haro (1961), Luis de la Fuente developed most of his career as a footballer in the Athletic, one of the players who won the last two Leagues for the Bilbao club, under the command of Javier Clemente. After wearing seven seasons with rojiblanco, a team with which he also won a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup, he spent four years in the Sevilleending his career as a footballer in Second Division B with the Alaves. He never made his senior debut as a player, although he was an under-21 international in four games and an Olympian in one.
As a coach, he began directing Portugalete, he sat on the bench of Alavés and Athletic B and in 2013 he joined the Spanish Federation to work in the lower categories. in 2018 took charge of the under-21 team after the departure of Albert Celades, with which he won a European category. He had previously won another European Under-19 Championship and last summer he hung the Olympic silver medal with the Spanish team at the Tokyo Games
Luis de la Fuente already debuted with the absolute Spanish team in a friendly against Lithuania due to the loss of Luis Enrique during the pandemic due to the Covid protocol.
Great to know the house, through the hands of Luis de la Fuente have passed many of the internationals with whom Luis Enrique He has counted in the World Cup in Qatar, so his arrival would be a clear commitment to continuity by the Federation. In addition to his qualities with the board, the closeness that he shows to the players and that he also transmits to the team environment, including the press, is another of the virtues of a coach with excellent teaching skills.
