Luis de la Fuente urges Lamine Yamal to emulate Messi and Ronaldo
Luis de la Fuente, coach of the Spanish national team, praised Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday as models of performance and sportsmanship, while, in front of the training camp at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas, he advised the young Lamine Yamal to follow in their footsteps to become a legend.
Messi and Ronaldo's Legacy
De la Fuente said he is a fervent admirer of what the Argentine Leo Messi and the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo have represented for world football as examples of performance, conduct and sportsmanship, and he said this in the presence of Lamine Yamal Jacob.
The interview was conducted with EFE during the Spanish national team's training camp at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas (Madrid) ahead of the last two group‑stage matches of the Nations League against the Czech Republic and England.
In it, the manager referred to the recent retirement of his squads' two stars who have marked an era.
"I am a fervent admirer, especially of the values and principles they bring to the world of sport and to society in general. They have been an example for the world of football. Players who had already won everything and still wanted to win. One was 39, the other 41. They were an example of performance, conduct and sportsmanship," he said.
He denied that the Portuguese striker's farewell was bittersweet after his conflict with coach Jorge Jesús and his departure from the camp in the previous window, saying "No, not at all, God forbid".
The Future with Mbappé and Yamal
De la Fuente is convinced that the torch from Messi and Cristiano will be taken up by other stars, among them Paris Saint‑Germain forward Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.
He added that both will mark an era in football.
He considered it positive that football does not depend on a single star, but that there are two or three reference points that generate healthy rivalry and joy.
Spain’s de La Fuente urges Yamal to fill Messi and Ronaldo void
Regarding the recommendation to Lamine Yamal, he noted that he is a very mature boy for his 19 years, but that he needs guidance like any young player who is still developing.
He praised that the player has handled media pressure naturally since he was 16, and urged him to keep growing, improving and working to keep all doors open and become a legendary footballer.
Goals and Recognition of La Roja
The 65‑year‑old coach renewed his contract at the end of September until 2032 and will debut this Thursday in Prague, against the Czech Republic, with the award for best coach in the world received on 26 October at the Ballon d'Or gala.
He confessed he felt happy about the award, although he would have been satisfied just by having been nominated.
Regarding Yamal's concerns, he said he should not be exposed to any risk.
He stated that he does not have many dreams, that you get involved and progress step by step, and that he values collective recognition more than individual.
Alluding to the historic unbeaten run of 42 matches for La Roja since March 2024, he described it as crazy and incredible, but reiterated that the goal is to keep improving match by match because the team is very ambitious.
He warned that any relaxation, however slight, allows the opponent to win, especially at the national‑team level where the gap between countries is much smaller compared to clubs.
He acknowledged that, after Spain's second World Cup won last summer and the recent youth‑category titles and individual awards, the world feels admiration and intrigue for Spanish football.
He recommended investing in training as the key to Spain's sustained success in clubs, national teams and at the individual level.