In his article, Ronzalo wrote that De la Fuente earned the respect of the players, proving to the whole team that no one is invincible.
This coach from La Rioja is down-to-earth, humble, and extremely intelligent. He is empathetic and knows how to win the players' love and respect—this is the secret to his success. When a leader can inspire rather than impose his ideas, he has already won people's hearts. Aragonés and De la Fuente successively ushered in and continue the most glorious period in Spanish national team history, and of course, I cannot forget Vicente del Bosque's greatness in winning the first star in Johannesburg. But frankly, the three coaches have very different personalities, and De la Fuente impressed me very early on. That's why we have proudly called him "the people's Luis" for many years.
The key to his second star lies in his calm response to the early setback against Cape Verde. Despite initial doubts, he remained composed, sticking to his tactical approach and making only four clever adjustments to the starting lineup. This demonstrated to the team that no one is indispensable, and that merit always rewards those who prove themselves. In Arro, people are proud to have such an outstanding figure, yet he himself never takes himself too seriously. But if you travel throughout Spain, all you'll hear is admiration and gratitude for Luis. Moreover, at 65, he looks younger than he did at 40. A master.
