Spain’s Grueling World Cup 2026 Draw: De La Fuente Promises Heart, Not Hype
5 December 2025
Spain Faces a Grueling World Cup Group in 2026
Luis de la Fuente, Spain's head coach, reacted to La Roja's group in the 2026 World Cup, stressing that the opponents are highly challenging despite the technical gaps.
The draw placed Spain in Group eight alongside Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Verde.
De la Fuente told AS that the opponents are very complex, each with its own strengths. This World Cup features 48 teams. While reviewing the groups, he considered how tough every match will be, and expected highly demanding fixtures.
Regarding praise from Saudi coach Hervé Renard calling Spain favorites, De la Fuente said he valued the words and saw them as recognition of Spanish football, but they do not guarantee anything. Praise will not weaken us; it will sharpen our responsibility. We want to achieve something meaningful in this World Cup, starting from the group stage before moving to tougher rounds.
De la Fuente also addressed travel logistics in the United States, noting that once the schedule is confirmed they will assess. Traveling every three or four days over long distances is a concern.
He stressed that finishing top of the group is important for what may come later. He mentioned meeting Scaloni and noting that any misstep could set up a direct meeting. What they can control is winning. If they end top of the group, in the knockout rounds they must win.
He closed: Tomorrow, after the dates and cities are finalized, we'll decide on the training camp site. Our travel squad has a lot of experience, and we'll pick the best.
Sniper punchline: If this group is a sniper’s target, Spain brought the scope and aims for the goal, not the gossip.
Sniper punchline 2: If optimism were bullets, Spain would need a bigger gun—until the scoreboard does the talking, we’re just loading the magazine.
