Luis de la Fuente has signed a new contract that will keep him as head coach of Spain until 2032, extending his tenure after leading La Roja to their second FIFA World Cup title.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) approved the six-year extension on Monday, just two months after De la Fuente guided Spain to World Cup glory in North America. Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, with Ferran Torres scoring the only goal.
The triumph marked Spain’s second World Cup crown and added another major international title to De la Fuente’s growing collection since taking charge of the senior national team.
De la Fuente was appointed Spain’s senior head coach in December 2022, succeeding Luis Enrique following Spain’s elimination from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
He had previously been in charge of Spain’s Under-21 side and was promoted after the federation opted for a new direction following the tournament.
The 65-year-old coach has since overseen one of the most successful periods in Spanish international football. He led Spain to the 2023 UEFA Nations League title, before guiding the team to the 2024 European Championship, where they defeated England 2-1 in the final in Berlin.
Spain subsequently reached the 2025 Nations League final again but were beaten by Portugal on penalties after a 2-2 draw following extra time in Munich. Portugal prevailed 5-3 in the shootout.
A Long-term Project Built On Continuity
RFEF president Rafael Louzán described the extension as part of a “project of stability and confidence“, emphasising the federation’s belief in the direction established under De la Fuente. “We are talking about the most decorated coach in the history of the national team, and he deserves a long future at the RFEF,” Louzán said.
De la Fuente’s connection with the federation stretches well beyond his senior appointment. He joined Spain’s youth setup in 2013 and spent almost a decade working across the country’s men’s age-group teams before taking charge of the senior side.
During that period, he won the European Under-19 Championship in 2015 and the European Under-21 Championship in 2019. He also guided Spain to a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, building extensive experience with players who would later form part of the senior national team.
His latest extension means he will remain in charge through the 2028 and 2032 European Championships, as well as the 2030 World Cup.
Spain will be one of the tournament’s principal hosts alongside Portugal and Morocco, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will stage centenary fixtures.
UEFA Nations League in Sight
The immediate focus, however, is on beginning the next UEFA Nations League campaign on the right path.
De la Fuente has already announced his first squad since the World Cup triumph, selecting 26 players for Spain’s opening four Nations League fixtures. The world champions will begin against England at Wembley on September 26 before facing Croatia in Seville, the Czech Republic in Oviedo and Croatia again in Split.
The new contract therefore gives De la Fuente a lengthy mandate, but his next task arrives immediately. With Spain entering the Nations League as reigning world champions, the coach begins the latest chapter of his tenure with the opportunity to maintain the standards that have transformed his spell in charge into one of the most decorated periods in the country’s history.
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