Nobody climbs to the top of their profession completely alone. Somewhere along the way, there’s almost always a mentor, a teacher, or an early influence who helped shape the path. That’s exactly the story behind the two coaches steering Argentina and Spain into their World Cup final meeting — a relationship that goes back further than most fans realize.
From Classroom to Coaching Legends
Luis de la Fuente, 65, has spent more than a decade working within the Spanish football federation, having joined back in 2013. Before taking charge of the senior national team, he cut his teeth guiding Spain’s youth setups — the U19s, U21s, and U23s. Since stepping up to the top job, he’s delivered a Euro 2024 title and, by most accounts, has Spain playing some of the most impressive football of this World Cup, riding a stylish run all the way to the final after knocking out France in the semis.
What’s less widely known is that years before any of this, de la Fuente was standing in front of a classroom — and one of his students was a young Lionel Scaloni. Back in 2017, Scaloni, now 48 and hailing from Santa Fe, was working through his coaching licence at Spain’s Las Rozas training facility. A year later, he’d take his first head coaching job with Argentina’s U20 side, eventually rising to lead the senior national team through one of its greatest eras.
Scaloni’s Words for His Old Professor
Speaking to reporters at the 2024 Copa America — a tournament Argentina went on to win — Scaloni was asked about Spain’s chances at that summer’s Euros, a competition Spain would also end up winning. His answer made clear just how much respect he still holds for his former teacher.
He explained that de la Fuente had personally helped him and the other coaches who came through the Las Rozas course back in 2017, calling him a great guy he’s stayed in touch with over the years. Scaloni added that he genuinely enjoys watching how de la Fuente carries himself on the touchline and how well his Spain squad has performed under him, and noted that with Spanish family ties of his own, he was firmly rooting for Spain’s success that summer.
Those comments came during an incredible stretch for Scaloni’s Argentina — three major tournament wins in a row, starting with the 2021 Copa America, followed by the 2022 World Cup, and then that same 2024 Copa America.
Two Coaches, Two Very Different Philosophies
Despite the personal connection, the way these two teams play couldn’t be more different.
De la Fuente’s Spain is all about control. They set up in a 4-3-3 that morphs into overloaded shapes — a 3-2-5 or 2-3-5 — once they get on the ball, patiently working possession until the right opening appears. Compared to the tiki-taka era of Spanish football, this version adds more directness and verticality, giving them a genuine threat in behind rather than just circulating possession for its own sake. It’s a team imposing its identity on games rather than reacting to the opponent.
Scaloni’s Argentina takes the opposite approach. Rather than dominating the ball, they’re built around soaking up pressure and striking when the moment presents itself — a transition-first mentality that can be maddening to watch at times as they shift shape and probe for defensive mistakes. That patience paid off against England, when Enzo Fernández capitalized on space to equalize, and Lautaro Martínez found himself completely unmarked for a winning header.
This Argentina side has needed a comeback or extra time in four consecutive knockout matches, with Messi operating more as a creative hub than a pure goal-scorer, backed by sharp counterattacking combinations and well-timed substitutions. Their trademark is composure late in games, capitalizing on tiring opponents rather than trying to control matches from kickoff — and defensively, they’re not shy about the kind of game-slowing, opponent-needling tactics South American sides are known for.
Both Nations Chasing More History
For Argentina, this final represents a shot at back-to-back World Cup titles, continuing a remarkable turnaround after a 28-year trophy drought that finally ended in 2021. Spain has been here before too — 14 years ago, they completed their own golden run by winning Euro 2012 on the back of Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.
Now both nations are chasing more silverware, with millions of fans tuned in worldwide. When de la Fuente and Scaloni share the touchline in this final, it won’t just be a clash of tactical philosophies — it’ll be a reunion of teacher and student, each bringing the utmost respect for the other despite everything on the line.
De la Fuente himself touched on that bond in comments made two years earlier, reflecting on the generation of coaches he helped train — a group that included football names like Xavi Hernández, Xabi Alonso, and Raúl, all of whom transitioned from playing careers into coaching. Among that group, he said, was Scaloni, someone he described as fortunate to have trained.
He also spoke warmly about Scaloni’s rapid rise, noting that despite early doubts about his lack of experience, Scaloni had gone on to become a world champion and continental champion — proof, in de la Fuente’s eyes, that the questions about him were answered in the best possible way.
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