Spanish national team coach de la Fuente: "I pray every day"

Luis de la Fuente, the coach of the Spanish men's national football team, who won the European Championship in Berlin on Sunday evening, has once again openly declared his Catholic faith. "I pray every day," de la Fuente told journalists before the final match of the European Championship 2024 on Sunday, according to media reports. Prayer or religious gestures, such as crossing oneself on the pitch, are not superstitions, the football coach continued: "I'm not superstitious at all." His Christian faith gives him great security and strength.

The 63-year-old de la Fuente comes from the north of Spain, from the town of Haro in the La Rioja region. According to the coach, he lights several candles in front of the patron saint of his birthplace, the statue of the Virgin de la Vega, before every Spanish national team football match. During the European Championships, one of his friends in Haro took on this task. De la Fuente was sent a video of the candle lighting each time.

Not always convinced of his faith

The Spanish national team coach played for Sevilla FC, among others, during his time as a footballer. His devotion to a depiction of the cross in the Andalusian capital, which shows Jesus Christ taking his last breath, dates back to this time. De la Fuente is a member of the brotherhood that venerates this crucifix, known as "El Cachorro", and organises a procession with it during Holy Week. The Spaniard had previously stated that he had not always been so convinced of his faith. But: "At a certain point in my life, I decided to get closer to faith again and to lean on God in everything I do."

The Spanish national team, which has been under the management of de la Fuente since 2022, was the dominant team at Euro 2024, not losing a single game and defeating the English team 2:1 in the final on Sunday evening in Berlin's Olympic Stadium. (rom)