Between 2008 and 2012, Spain did not just dominate world football. They changed how the game was played. Powered by tiki-taka, a style built on short, quick passes, relentless movement and complete control through possession, La Roja conquered everything in sight.
Euro glory in 2008, World Cup triumph in 2010 and another European crown in 2012 cemented Spain as football’s undisputed kings. Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona popularised the philosophy at club level, while Spain perfected it on the international stage. Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets orchestrated games from midfield, while Carles Puyol, Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique formed an impenetrable defensive wall.
ARGENTINA VS SPAIN, FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL: PREVIEW
But every dynasty eventually fades, and Spain’s was no different.
The warning signs appeared in the 2013 Confederations Cup final, where Brazil dismantled them 3-0. A year later came an even bigger collapse as the defending champions crashed out of the 2014 World Cup in the group stage. The possession-heavy football that once mesmerised the world suddenly looked predictable. The passes remained, but the victories disappeared.
Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup only reinforced that feeling. Opponents had figured Spain out. They no longer chased shadows for 90 minutes. Instead, they waited for mistakes, hit on the counter or dragged matches into physical battles and penalties. The formula that had once made Spain unstoppable had become easier to disrupt.
A reset was inevitable, and Luis de La Fuente was the man chosen to lead it.
A two-time LaLiga winner with Athletic Bilbao as a player, De La Fuente had quietly built an outstanding coaching resume within the Spanish setup. He guided the U-19 side to the European title in 2015, won the U-21 European Championship in 2019 and led Spain to a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
That track record convinced the Spanish football federation to hand him the senior job. His brief was simple: restore Spain to the summit of world football.
What has followed has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Nations League champions in 2023. European champions in 2024. Now, a place in the 2026 World Cup final.
Spain are unbeaten in 37 matches, equalling the longest unbeaten run by a European nation. Their revival is in full swing, with De La Fuente emerging as the architect behind it all.
So how did he engineer one of international football’s most remarkable revivals? How did he transform Spain at a time when international managers barely get enough time with their players to build lasting success?
TIKI-TAKA 2.0
When a new manager takes charge, sweeping tactical changes usually follow. De La Fuente could easily have abandoned tiki-taka altogether after watching it lose its edge over the previous decade.
Instead, he rebuilt Spain’s footballing identity from within.
The 65-year-old retained Spain’s obsession with possession and control but added greater verticality, quicker transitions and a willingness to attack space. Counter-attacks became part of their arsenal, while shots from distance became another weapon against deep defensive blocks.
A decade ago, Spain might have completed another hundred passes in search of the perfect opening. This side is happy to take the first good one.
They showed it perfectly against France in the semi-final.
Pedro Porro’s goal, which sealed the game, was a snapshot of modern tiki-taka. A rapid exchange of passes carved France apart before Porro burst through on goal, slicing open the defence with ruthless efficiency.
Oliver Kahn summed up De La Fuente’s influence perfectly.
“They further developed tiki-taka in the last 10 or 12 years as De la Fuente is making some adaptations,” said Kahn during an interaction with select media, as quoted by Deccan Herald. “They are playing more vertical, much more aggressive, with the two side backs always attacking… This is a totally different Spain than it was 10 years before.”
The philosophy may have evolved, but the numbers still reflect Spain’s DNA. They have completed 4,156 passes at an accuracy of 91 percent, jointly the best in the tournament.
What has changed is the intensity that accompanies those passes. Spain have registered 3,121 sprints, the highest total at this World Cup, while covering nearly 800 kilometres across seven matches.
DEFENCE THE FOUNDATION
Spain have scored 13 goals in seven matches, but this campaign has been built on an exceptional defence.
They have conceded just once while keeping six clean sheets, underlining the balance De La Fuente has created.
The partnership of Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi, flanked by Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro, has helped Spain concede an expected goals (xG) figure of just 0.31, the joint-lowest recorded by a team at a World Cup in the last 60 years.
Laporte and Cubarsi have also contributed heavily in possession. They lead the tournament in line-breaking passes with 91 and 83 respectively, highlighting how Spain’s attacks often begin from the back.
Elite defensive numbers are usually built one of two ways. Either suffocate opponents high up the pitch or retreat into a compact defensive block.
Spain have shown they can do both.
Their work without the ball has been one of the defining features of this campaign. They lead the tournament with 12.1 percent of their possessions beginning in the attacking third, while their relentless press has helped them rank third for high turnovers, forcing 12.9 per 90 minutes. Opponents are rarely allowed to settle, with Spain also sitting third for passes permitted before making a defensive intervention, with a PPDA of 9.0.
That aggressive approach begins with the forwards. Mikel Oyarzabal and Alex Baena set the tone through relentless pressing rather than prolific goalscoring. Their work allows Spain to squeeze the pitch, and with 63.7 percent average possession, the third-best figure in the tournament, the back line can afford to hold an aggressive defensive line. The result is a side that catches opponents offside 3.3 times per 90 minutes, the fifth-highest rate in the competition.
DE LA FUENTE, THE MAN-MANAGEMENT MASTER
Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest strength was not just tactical brilliance. It was his ability to manage people.
De La Fuente appears to possess that same quality.
Modern international football offers managers precious little time with their players. Most spend the majority of the season with their clubs before assembling for brief international windows.
Building a winning culture in that environment is incredibly difficult.
De La Fuente, however, enjoyed a head start.
Having coached many of this generation through Spain’s youth system, he already knew their personalities as well as their football. By the time he took charge of the senior side, the foundations had already been laid.
Santi Denia, who worked alongside De La Fuente for 14 years, explained why that continuity proved invaluable.
“Working together gave us an incredible opportunity to learn and get to know the generation of players coming up through the ranks. By the time he reached the senior national team, he knew the players well, and he had a good feel for the team dynamics and what would work. It is totally different from club football. We have made mistakes in the past, but that has meant we have learnt a lot,” said Denia to FIFA.com.
Fernando Hierro, Spain’s former captain, also worked with De La Fuente at the Spanish football federation and believes the harmony within the squad has become one of their biggest strengths.
“They are like a close-knit family; they enjoy spending time together and genuinely have fun. That creates an exceptional atmosphere. In a World Cup, where people spend so much time living and working together, that becomes incredibly important. I think that says a lot about the work Luis did before the tournament even began.”
That trust has been evident throughout the tournament.
After Spain’s underwhelming draw against Cabo Verde, De La Fuente resisted calls for sweeping changes and kept faith in Oyarzabal. The Real Sociedad forward repaid that belief with five goals.
He has also shown he is not afraid to make difficult decisions. Mikel Merino would start for most international sides, yet he has embraced the role of impact substitute, producing decisive moments against Portugal and Belgium.
The handling of Lamine Yamal has been equally impressive.
Recognising that the teenager is Spain’s game-breaker, De La Fuente carefully managed his minutes early in the tournament before unleashing him against tiring defences.
While comparisons with Lionel Messi continue to dominate the conversation, De La Fuente has remained focused on protecting his young star.
“I think Lamine has to be Lamine. Messi is an unbelievable talent, and example to all young footballers. I consider him a role model but Lamine has to be Lamine and and the best way to help him is to give him the support so he can keep being Lamine,” said De La Fuente.
Now Spain stand one win away from writing another golden chapter.
They are chasing the same rare double that defined their greatest generation by holding the European Championship and the World Cup simultaneously.
For De La Fuente, though, the focus remains firmly on the present.
“I am not one for lofty statements. What is important to me is to be in a good position to win. I would be happy to reach the World Cup final each year and lose. That shows you how important the World Cup is. And we have the chance to fight to win it and that is what we will do,” said De La Fuente on the eve of the final.
Standing in Spain’s way is Lionel Messi’s Argentina, chasing back-to-back World Cup titles. Spain, meanwhile, are pursuing something just as significant: the chance to complete their renaissance and prove that a new golden generation has truly arrived. And standing at the forefront is a man with an infectious smile and tactics that revived a giant of football.
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