De la Fuente: Huijsen's omission is unrelated to his ability

According to ABC, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente gave an exclusive interview discussing the World Cup squad, team management, and championship ambitions.

At a time when many people are considering retirement or holding on to their jobs for the final years of their careers, 64-year-old Luis de la Fuente is about to make his World Cup debut. On meeting him, the Spanish coach offers a firm handshake, the muscle in his arm reflecting his habit of daily training. The Spanish team will depart for the United States this Friday, carrying the expectations of fans across the country, with the goal of winning the second World Cup title in their history.

Q: If you had to define yourself in three words, what would you say?

De la Fuente said: "Three words? I strive to be an honest person, very firm in my decisions, and loyal to my beliefs. I will stand by what I believe must be defended."

Q: You also seem very optimistic. Is that innate, or is it a pre-designed message?

De la Fuente said: "There is no pretense about me. I am who you see, whether others like it or not. From the beginning until now, I believe I have remained the same person. Of course, people learn and take on responsibilities, and sometimes responsibility requires you to act in a certain way."

Haven't you changed at all?

De la Fuente said: "I haven't changed. I have a strong foundation of optimism because I deeply believe in my ability to work, improve, and strive, as well as in the values instilled in me as a child. These give me a lot of energy and confidence when making decisions."

How many players did you call to explain that they would not be going to the World Cup?

De la Fuente said: "Indeed, I called some players, and some I didn't, but they shouldn't feel upset about it. In my subjective judgment, certain situations are special. It is very painful to leave out players who have been with us for the past three and a half years, but at the same time, it is very satisfying to bring in other players because they are equally qualified, equally experienced, and equally hardworking. This gives me peace of mind. Remiro is an excellent person, we don't know what the future holds, and the national team's door is always open to him. I want to express my recognition and gratitude to him; his performance is a model I hope other newcomers will learn from."

Q: Veterans like Remiro, Le Normand, Morata, and Carvajal accepted your decision, but young Huijsen didn’t seem to.

De la Fuente said: "Dean performed very well when he was with us, and I still see him as a future player. He belongs to what I call this family. There are no issues between us and him. His words may have been an expression of a young person's frustration. He still needs to continue growing, both as a person and as a player. "

Q: Where do you draw your inspiration for Spain's open, dynamic, and attacking style of play?

De la Fuente said: "First, you need an idea, and then you need to implement it on the field. But that idea also requires players who can adapt to it and execute it. When we first arrived here, we already had this idea, based on clear and distinct concepts from the historical tradition of the Spanish national team. But there have also been subtle changes and evolutions; football changes quickly, and I know these players, and I know they can adapt to this idea. We strive to bring out the maximum ability of the players, but all of this takes place within the development of a system."

What kind of football do you enjoy?

De la Fuente said: "José Carlos, I've changed a lot. As a player, I was trained at Athletic Bilbao, where football was very English: direct, focused on winning second balls, attack-minded, and very vertical. Later, that change made me almost unrecognizable; I would think: How could I have changed so much? Then I went to play for Sevilla, which was another type of football: more technical, more collaborative, more artistic; not better or worse, just different. Those things gradually seeped in. Similarly, I've also worked with many coaches who taught me different perspectives on football. When I started coaching, I wanted to put all of this into practice and adapt it according to the players' situations."

Q: So, you've inherited a tradition within the national team?

De la Fuente said: "When I joined the national teams at various levels 13 years ago, I did not understand the model here. Over time, I gradually came to grasp it. I have some excellent colleagues who helped me understand, interpret, and develop this model. Of course, there is also a very personal touch to it."

Q: Does the outside world respect you only because of good results?

De la Fuente said: "Of course, results ultimately prove whether you are right or wrong. You can speak very well and say beautiful things, but then never put anything into practice. I like practice; I like facts. I like to evaluate those who dare to speak, dare to take risks, and then prove themselves and achieve results. This is normal. What happens to me also happens to other professionals. I came into such an important position with the Spanish national team, and I understand that people who don't know the situation will question you, and that's okay. After three and a half years, leading the team in over 40 games and achieving success and championships, people realize that I am very well prepared."

Q: Some people dislike or do not understand your 'good person' approach.

De la Fuente said: "Then I'll tell them something they might dislike even more: I'm also very happy. You see, I'm very happy, and kindness is very important in my life. But don't misunderstand me: kindness should not be confused with weakness or a lack of character. I would rather work with good people, good individuals, than with those I cannot trust or who do not give me confidence. I need professional, dedicated, united, thoughtful, willing, and generous people. That is what a good person is. This is even more true in football. I say it over and over again: of course, there are many other models, such as autocratic management, 'it must be done my way here,' and so on. But this model of communicating with people, reasoning with them, and conveying information to rational, demanding, and professional individuals also works. Everyone can choose the way they want, but this way is effective."

How many players did you choose not to call up because they were not good people?

De la Fuente said: "We're talking about a subjective judgment. I may have had disagreements with someone, but that doesn't mean they're a bad person; it simply means that, for me, they may not fit my ideas. There have indeed been some players who did not meet my expectations. That doesn't mean they are bad people, but they did not fit the healthy state of our model, so we chose others."

Did they fail to fit in because they were too self-centered, or because they were not enough of a team player?

De la Fuente said: "We all have egos, and we need to have them. But if I use my ego to serve the team and put collective interests first, everything will go smoothly. There is no room for selfishness in football. Although some say that in certain positions you have to be selfish, that simply means your role on the field requires you to take more risks, and that is all. Do not confuse the two. In the locker room, how can we not talk about unity, generosity, camaraderie, and putting collective interests above personal interests? One day it is your turn to run a little more because I might not be in good form, and vice versa. Let me add a little more. The other day, someone asked me about some fighting issues that occurred in a certain team. I am lucky that I have never seen such things, either as a player or as a coach. There is no deeper meaning to that; it is simply the world I have been in. I am just making that point."

At the World Cup, do you think coexistence is more important than tactics?

De la Fuente said: "The former is essential for the latter. We will be together for almost 50 days, which can create conflicts. I repeat, I have participated in the Olympics, staying for 45 days, and also in European Cups at different levels, staying for 40 or 45 days, and there have never been any problems, no fights. This is not to my credit, but to the credit of the group of people on that roster. This also helps things run more smoothly on the field afterward. For me, coexistence is key. This is my model; whether you like it or not is another matter. But one thing is objective: it works because the results prove it."

Q: Do we attach too much social significance to football? Work, housing, healthcare, education... these are all more important.

De la Fuente said: "The topics you mentioned... how can anything be compared to health? The same applies to work or housing; how can anything be compared to people who may not have those things? However, I do see the positive side of football. Football has an emotional, heartfelt sense of belonging that makes you experience life in a different way. There is no consolation for serious illness or the pain of losing loved ones, but the positive side of football can be very beneficial in helping people cope with those extremely difficult moments in life."

Q: Is today’s housing problem for young people a tragedy?

De la Fuente said: "I left home when I was 15. From then on, I was independent and paid for my own education, not because my parents couldn't afford it, but because I was already earning money and felt responsible for doing so. Of course, there will be problems and difficulties, but you must have the strength and courage to move forward. Nobody will give us anything for free; you have to work very hard. Life and Sport are tough; you lose more than you win."

Q: You will be leading a team at the World Cup for the first time at 65, an age when many people are considering retirement or trying to hold on to their jobs.

De la Fuente said: "Hahaha, that's right. Every stage of life should be approached naturally. Some people need more time to reach maturity, psychological stability, and fulfilment. For me, things come at the right time. Ten years ago, I would not have been ready. It happened when I was prepared. At another stage, I might not have known how to handle the influence of the media. Now I can. I am a strong supporter of young talent, and the facts prove it. I come from a culture of development, one that is willing to give opportunities to young people who deserve them, who want to grow and improve. Experience is a qualification that allows you to look at everything from another perspective. I just said that I would not recognize myself from 20 years ago. At that time, I was so unprepared, so lacking in knowledge, yet I thought I knew everything. Now I am still improving and learning. I still have room for improvement, I still need to train, and I still need to maintain my enthusiasm. This is my attitude towards life."

Q: If you encountered a snub like Vinicius's toward Xabi Alonso, what would you do?

De la Fuente said: "I don't like commenting on things I don't understand or control."

I mean, what if it were one of your players doing that?

De la Fuente said: "The other day, someone at the Cervantes Institute asked me what my keyword was. I said respect. Any form of coexistence is built on respect. Respect is the key to everything. If you want me to respect you, you have to respect me. Then there will be no problems. You can never lose respect for anyone."

Q: Why don’t you read media reports anymore?

De la Fuente said: "Not reading makes me very happy. It doesn't help me. Anyone who says they are indifferent to criticism is lying. I don't know anyone like that. I'm not indifferent; it hurts me. Sometimes it might even make me question a decision, until I understood that I want to remain free, independent, autonomous, and make decisions untainted by outside noise. Because my only motivation is the competitive aspect: having a good team. People outside my environment, outside my circle, may have other motives and interests, and they may conflict with mine. I decided I don't want to know what others' interests are. This keeps me free to make the decisions I want. It gives me a very good inner peace."

Q: What aspects of certain media outlets do you dislike?

De la Fuente said: "That's not the problem. I once had the opportunity to speak to young journalists, and I gave them only three pieces of advice: be honest, tell the truth, and remain free. This is not easy. Many groups lack one or more of these three qualities, and I don't know what interests drive them. With all due respect, I freely decide that I am not interested in what you have to say."

Q: Given your leadership style, you cannot treat everyone the same way. How do you handle Rodri or Yamal differently?

De la Fuente said: "Everyone has their own story and experience. For example, at the European Championship, we had 16-year-old Yamal and 39-year-old Jesús Navas. Both have equal rights and obligations. But how can I treat them the same? You cannot speak to a 16 or 18-year-old in the same way you speak to a 37-year-old man; that would be unfair. Status and maturity are also different, and many things have to be earned. I am a coach, and I have a mission to develop people. I strive to educate young people with values and principles that will help them put those lessons into practice in football. Veterans must also understand that having a lot of seniority does not mean you know everything. When you retire, you will realise that you still have more to learn. In this environment, I feel very comfortable managing this team."

Q: Historically, national teams only truly unite a country when they win. Do you prepare for failure?

De la Fuente said: "Of course. Here, you lose more than you win. We have won a lot, but defeat is always closer than it seems. That is the reality. I have a club culture, because I come from clubs, and I have my emotional attachments, but my national team culture is stronger than my club culture. I never look at where players come from, whether it is Cuenca, Guadalajara, or Segovia. They belong to the Spanish national team; they are Spaniards. This gives me a broader perspective and does not make me uncomfortable or influence my decisions because they play for a particular team. For me, they are not players from a particular club, but national team players. We have been unbeaten in 31 games and undefeated in official matches for three years. This is not normal."

The players appear to firmly believe they can achieve great things at the World Cup.

De la Fuente said: "Players must remain calm in this regard. As long as we do what we need to do, remain professional, respectful, and rigorous in our work, and give our all, no one will blame us, there will be no long faces, and no one will get angry. If we do what we need to do before the game, first, we will be closer to victory; second, if we don't succeed, then that's life and football. There will be no blame for the outcome. But we have to try."

Q: Is your motivation to win the World Cup?

De la Fuente said: "The motivation is to strive for the highest goal. We strive to fight to win. We have the ability to win the championship. But I repeat, we also need to remain calm and respect other teams. There are eight to ten national teams that are as strong as us and also capable of winning the championship. We set out with the expectation of being able to win the championship. Of course, absolutely. We will fight for it."