'The players are the true protagonists': Luis de la Fuente hails Spain stars after FIFA World Cup 2026 triumph

Spain clinched their second FIFA World Cup title after defeating Argentina in the final game on Monday, July 20 (As per IST) at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. Star Barcelona forward Ferran Torres scored the winning goal against the three-time world champions in the second half of the extra-time to seal the victory for the Las Rojas.

Luis de la Fuente praises players after FIFA World Cup 2026 win

Throughout the game, Spain dominated Lionel Messi's side with their brilliant passing and majority of the passion. In response, Argentina seemed to lack answers as Lionel Messi was kept away from the match for a very long time. The South American champions failed to take a single shot in the full 90-minutes.

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After the win, Spain's head coach Luis de la Fuente hailed the entire national team and how the players worked hard throughout the tournament to win the second world title. Fuente said that he enjoyed each and every moment he had in the World Cup and noted how the hard work from players helped to achieve the dream.

“I never thought of anything like this, I always just wanted joy in moments. When you look back at this process, I would not have achieved anything without these players. The journey with this raw material, this talent. Spanish footballers, the way they compete. These players are amazing,” said Luis de la Fuente.

“First of all I would like to thank the whole staff and everyone who worked with us. The players are the true protagonists. We feel satisfaction, pride. It’s such an honour to be the coach of these amazing players,” added Luis de la Fuente.

Spanish players win big at the FIFA World Cup:

Award	Winner	Team	Performance / Stats
adidas Golden Ball (Best Player)	Rodri	Spain	Anchored Spain's midfield across all 8 matches, orchestrating possession and leading La Roja to their second world title.
adidas Golden Boot (Top Scorer)	Kylian Mbappé	France	10 goals & 4 assists in 8 matches; became the first player in history to win back-to-back Golden Boots.
adidas Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper)	Unai Simón	Spain	Set a World Cup record with 7 clean sheets in 8 matches, allowing only 1 goal the entire tournament.
FIFA Young Player Award	Pau Cubarsí	Spain	Played every minute at center-back at just 19 years old, anchoring the tournament's stingiest defense.

Spain's second World Cup

It was Spain's second World title after the first came in the 2010 edition, where they defeated Netherlands in the final. In the 2010 final, Spain's star midfielder Andres Iniesta was the only scorer in the summit clash.