Spain coach De la Fuente hails players after World Cup triumph

Luis de la Fuente, head coach of Spain, praised his players after their 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina in Sunday night's final, which secured Spain's second World Cup title and reinforced their status as a dominant force in international football.

De la Fuente, who at 65 became the oldest coach to lead a team to World Cup victory, also guided Spain to the UEFA Euro 2024 title. His side is now unbeaten in 38 matches across all competitions—a record unmatched by any national team in Europe or South America.

"I am extremely proud of this generation of footballers who grew up with this philosophy, remained loyal to it, improved it, and set an example as a team and as a family—they are world-class players with exceptional talent," De la Fuente told reporters.

He added, "I am deeply moved. When I look back and think about them, I realize we have won everything, absolutely everything, with this generation of players."

Spain conceded only one goal throughout the tournament but struggled to find a decisive finish for the first 115 minutes against a resilient Argentina side, which was reduced to ten men after Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a second yellow card in stoppage time of regular play.

"The match should have been decided much earlier... but this is a World Cup final, and you have to give your all even against ten men. We were prepared for anything," De la Fuente said.

Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal, credited the entire nation for his strike and expressed his happiness at finally making an impact after facing criticism for his performances during the tournament.

"It was a goal scored by 47 million people—it wasn't just mine or any of the 26 players'... It was destined to be the winning goal," Torres said.

He added, "Although every final is tough, you feel extra nerves when facing (Argentina's Lionel) Messi. We played better football. I was heavily criticized throughout the World Cup. Thank God, who always gives me the strength to continue. God gives things to those who deserve them most."