One man, four trophies! Just enough to boast about ruling the world of football. But Luis de la Fuente would never say that himself, nor is it in his nature — marked by gentlemanly manners and vast coaching expertise. However, the current Spanish head coach has credentials that place him among the greatest minds in modern football.Until almost two years ago, only dedicated chroniclers of Spanish sports and/or fanatics knew about the “good man” born in the north of the country. He never coached a team from La Liga, never worked in the Segunda, and only had two club stints in the Third Division. Yet, he possesses a deep understanding of tactics, motivation, hierarchy, and the essence of the game.##EDITORS_CHOICE##This is evident from the fact that, at least to local football fans, it is not well-known. De la Fuente has shaped the coaching careers of former stars, two of whom have won club trophies, and one — who cannot even be called a star — lifted the most prestigious trophy in football, the World Cup.That man is Lionel Scaloni, the head coach of Argentina, who learned invaluable lessons under the mentorship of the current Spanish national team manager. It all happened in 2017 when De la Fuente was a mentor to a class of trainees at Las Rozas, the training center of the Spanish Football Federation where several familiar names were among the students.”I had the privilege of teaching at various coaching courses. I taught a generation that included Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso, and Raul. Football stars who wanted to become coaches, and I had the good fortune to train Lionel Scaloni among them,” De la Fuente recalled, referring to the period seven years ago when he worked as a youth coach, passing on knowledge to those who had just ended their playing careers.##NAJAVA_MECA_8398846##Since then, Xavi has managed Al Sadd in Qatar and Barcelona, leading them to the Spanish championship, Xabi Alonso has made waves with Bayer Leverkusen (winning a double in Germany), and Raul Gonzalez Blanco has developed numerous players for La Liga at Real Madrid Castilla, with the impression that Florentino Perez is preparing him to be a future head coach of the royal club… Meanwhile, Lionel Scaloni sat quietly in the background, away from the public eye.Understandably, he wasn’t a name like those “giants,” as Scaloni’s playing career was relatively modest, featuring stints at Deportivo La Coruna, Racing Santander, and Mallorca, where he continued to live. Lionel’s wife, Elisa Montero, is Spanish, and they have two children together. After ending his playing career in 2015 at Atalanta, Scaloni began training to become a coach. Spain offers a special program for players who have spent at least eight years in the country, which allowed the former right-back to embark on a journey that ultimately led to earning a UEFA Pro License, alongside two much more well-known figures, Javier Saviola and Fernando Redondo.”My professor was Luis de la Fuente. Besides being a great instructor, he helped us immensely in every way. He’s a wonderful person, as I realized during my conversations with him. It’s great to see how he carries himself, and how much effort the players put in while wearing the Spanish jersey,” Scaloni once said.The Gunman fires shots at The Madman: “He can’t even say hello”It turns out that De la Fuente’s knowledge and demeanour left a mark on the young man from Santa Fe. Just as the Spanish coach is known for his composed approach, Scaloni is also characterized by a calmness in leading his team. Perhaps that’s what national team players need when they come together after stressful situations at their major clubs. A gentle touch, a kind word, humanity.Of course, all of this is backed by a solid foundation of knowledge. Without it, everything is meaningless. And both men have proven their abilities, even though many skeptics raised their eyebrows when Spain appointed its former youth coach to succeed Luis Enrique, and Argentina entrusted the country’s most demanding job to a man who had only previously coached the national U-20 team.Scaloni laments one half of the irreplaceable duoThe first won the Nations League and the European Championship, while the other claimed the World Cup and Copa America. That’s why the entire world eagerly anticipates the clash between these two footballing powerhouses in the Finalissima, a match where the champions of Europe and Latin America face off for the title of the best in the world. It’s still unknown where or when the match will take place, but what is certain is that emotions and passion will run high when teacher and student meet.
