De la Fuente: "From a young age, I was taught to be respectful"

Luis de la Fuente addressed a historic press conference ahead of the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, an event held for the first time a full two days before the decisive clash for the world title. The gathering wasn't just for accredited media; it also drew prominent figures from the worlds of sports and pop culture, alongside passionate football fans. Approximately 1,200 people filled the New York hall, with Argentine supporters booing the Spanish coach at the start of his remarks.

"Good evening, it's a pleasure to be with you..." De la Fuente began, only to be forced to pause shortly after due to the jeers.

Despite the interruption, he continued, reminding fans that sportsmanship and respect should always be paramount at such events.

"From a young age, I was taught to be respectful to everyone; we must learn this lesson too. Always be respectful," De la Fuente emphasized before proceeding with the main part of the press conference.

The first question posed to the coach concerned his team's approach to the match.

"Just participating in a final is a privilege. Every year, I would sign up to reach a World Cup final, even if it meant losing. We want to fight for victory. We will savor this moment. We have a formidable opponent with impressive experience. It will be a fantastic spectacle. These are two superb teams with many similarities. Each of us will try to dictate the game to our advantage, but both teams will play a match where talent prevails. The referees are there to enhance the spectacle. I'm nervous because we're returning to the hotel by helicopter, and that makes me anxious. Nothing else. I am completely calm. What we want is to enjoy ourselves," De la Fuente stated.

He was then asked about one of the team's key players, Lamine Yamal.

"He's doing well. Everyone trained effectively. Let's hope there are no setbacks tomorrow. Lamine is Lamine; Messi is one of a kind. He is an example. His attitude, his conduct... At his age and in such a spectacular World Cup. Yesterday we gave him a rest, and today he trained with his teammates as usual... He's fine, no issues with him," De la Fuente shared.

He then elaborated on his coaching methodology in preparation for the decisive showdown.

"The trick is to work, work, and work. And even then, things don't always go your way. And when they don't, you have to keep working and surround yourself with good people: good players, good coaching staff. Before we embarked on this journey, I explained the peculiarities of the World Cup to the players, and here we are. We have no complaints, no reproaches. All these things that seem strange to us today might become commonplace in a few years. That's just how it is," De la Fuente reflected.

The specialist was then asked for his thoughts on the opposing side, Argentina, their coach, and their players.

"Scaloni and I agree on many points. In that regard, we have a lot in common. In this parity, we must try to win through small details and assert ourselves. When it's our turn to suffer, we will suffer. I knew Messi when I was coaching the Sevilla youth team. Initially, we tried to block him with a hand. Then he got a yellow card, I substituted him, and we were blocked by four players. We won't block him with a hand, but we will be vigilant. Scaloni and I are two great competitors who admire each other greatly. It's a privilege to face him. I have immense admiration for the Argentine national team. They have just made history and are led by a friend of mine," De la Fuente said.

The highly anticipated match between Argentina and Spain is scheduled for Sunday, July 19th, at 10:00 PM Bulgarian time. You can watch this, along with all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup, live on bnt.sportal.bg.