De la Fuente Warns Spain Ahead Of England Clash, Signs New Deal Until 2032

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has warned his players that their recent success will count for nothing when they face England in their UEFA Nations League opener at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

De la Fuente, who led Spain to the 2026 World Cup title, said his team must improve and match England’s motivation if they want to begin their Nations League campaign with a positive result.

“Nothing we have achieved so far will help us beat England; we need to be better, and that’s what I’m going to demand from the players in these few days we have to prepare: be better than we have been so far, concentrate and give our all to be better,” De la Fuente said.

The 65-year-old described England as “the perfect opposition” for Spain to face after their World Cup triumph, saying the occasion at Wembley should provide enough motivation for his players.

“That’s the best team talk for a footballer: playing against England at Wembley. You don’t need any more motivation. They’re the perfect opposition to get back up to speed immediately,” he said.

“England are a great national team that are as good as us and will be a tough test for us.”

De la Fuente said Spain would approach the fixture as the beginning of a new chapter despite their recent achievements.

“Knowing the players, knowing their characters, we’re going to be incredibly focused right from the outset. That is our mentality. There is always a goal to achieve, and the most important thing is the here and now,” he said.

“It’s a new story and a new film; we want to be the stars of this new film.”

The Spain coach also stressed the need for his players to match the motivation of opponents who now have an added incentive when facing the world champions.

“We need to be as motivated as our opponents. That is our approach. The closer we can get to that level, the closer we’ll be to winning. If we don’t get to that level of motivation and desire, we won’t win,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Spanish Football Federation has announced that De la Fuente will remain in charge until 2032.

“Luis de la Fuente will extend his contract through the next two European Championships, in 2028 and 2032, as well as the 2030 World Cup,” the RFEF said in a statement.

De la Fuente replaced Luis Enrique as Spain coach in 2022 after spending a decade working with the country’s youth teams. He has since guided the senior side to the 2023 UEFA Nations League title, Euro 2024 glory and the 2026 World Cup.

“We’re talking about the most successful head coach in the history of the national team, and after 14 years with us, this is something Luis de la Fuente deserves: a long-term future at the RFEF,” said Spanish FA board chairman Rafael Louzan.

Spain will face England at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, September 26, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm UK time, which is also 7:45pm Nigerian time.

The two sides will meet again on November 15, 2026, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm Nigerian time.