De la Fuente Opens Up on Yamal, Portugal Tie and Spain’s Identity
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has given a wide-ranging fan Q&A, touching on Lamine Yamal’s development, the looming last-16 showdown with Portugal, and what the 2010 World Cup still means to him. The Guardian published the interview, conducted at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas — the same historic venue where Brazil’s Bebeto scored in 1994.
Yamal Told to ‘Be Yourself’
With Yamal previously naming Paris Saint-Germain left-back Nuno Mendes as his most feared opponent, fans were eager to know what advice De la Fuente would offer the teenager ahead of another potential meeting with the Frenchman. The Spain boss was reassuring, noting that Yamal has faced Mendes four times already — three times with Barcelona and once in the 2025 Nations League final, which Spain lost on penalties.