Luis de la Fuente, Spain’s head coach, spoke about the Ballon d’Or debate between Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe. He gave his thoughts during an interview on COPE’s El Partidazo programme. De la Fuente said Yamal is very respectful towards Mbappe. He also said it is good that players value themselves. He thinks Yamal says things in a fun tone, like a player.
This came after Yamal made some bold comments about the Ballon d’Or. Yamal said he and Mbappe are the two best players in the world. He also said everyone who watches matches knows that. Yamal claimed he had beaten Mbappe in everything, referring to trophies and direct duels. He also argued that the Ballon d’Or should go to the best player in the world, not just someone who scored 80 goals.
Mbappe responded with class. He praised Yamal and said he has a feeling Yamal will have a great career. He wished him all the best. Mbappe also said he does not want to get into a war of words. He said his feet are his best lawyer. He tries to stay focused on the pitch.
De la Fuente has said that comparing Yamal to Messi or Maradona is the biggest mistake. He insists Yamal must be guided. He also said Yamal has great footballing maturity. He added that we have not seen Yamal’s full potential yet.
On the Ballon d’Or, De la Fuente said Yamal can win it because he is Spanish and an incredible footballer. He said if it is not this year, it will be soon. He also said seeing Yamal so motivated gives him peace of mind. He said Yamal loves big matches and loves taking responsibility.
For the Ballon d’Or, Yamal has won the World Cup with Spain and La Liga with Barcelona. Mbappe finished as top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup. But he did not win a major team trophy.
Spain Extend Luis de la Fuente’s Contract Until 2032 After World Cup Triumph
Spain have extended the contract of their coach, Luis de la Fuente, until 2032. The decision comes after he led the team to World Cup success this summer. His previous deal was set to end in 2028. Now he will stay for four more years.
The new contract means De la Fuente will lead Spain at the 2030 World Cup. That tournament will be co-hosted by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal. He will also be in charge for the European Championships in 2032. Those will be held in Italy and Türkiye. The Spanish football federation’s board approved the extension at a meeting on Monday.
De la Fuente is 65 years old. He was first appointed at the end of 2022. He took over after Luis Enrique, whose team had lost to Morocco in the round of 16 at the World Cup. Since then, De la Fuente has changed Spain’s fortunes. He led them to the Nations League title in 2023. He then won the European Championships in 2024. And earlier this year, he guided Spain to their second World Cup title.
Before replacing Luis Enrique, De la Fuente had great success with Spain’s youth teams. He won the Under-19 and Under-21 European Championships. He also won a silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.
Spain returns to action this week. It will be their first match since beating Argentina in the World Cup final in New Jersey in July. They travel to London this weekend to face England at Wembley. That is the first of four Nations League games. After that, Spain will host Croatia and Czechia. They will then finish the break with an away game against Croatia.
Lamine Yamal Calls Lionel Messi the Best Player of the 2026 World Cup
Lamine Yamal has praised Lionel Messi as the best player at the 2026 World Cup. Yamal won the tournament with Spain. Spain beat Messi’s Argentina in the final. Even though they were rivals, Yamal still called Messi the best.
Yamal told Movistar that Messi was the best player at the World Cup because of everything he represents and everything he did. Messi finished second in goals at the tournament. Only Kylian Mbappe scored more. Messi was also second in assists, behind Michael Olise. He led several other statistical categories. He completed the most dribbles, one more than Yamal. He also led in key passes and big chances created. Many rating apps and experts also named Messi as the best player of the tournament.
Messi and Yamal have a long connection. When Yamal was a baby, Messi bathed him for a charity photoshoot. Now they faced each other in a World Cup final.
Messi is 39 years old. Many people thought he was past his prime. They did not expect him to have another World Cup like 2022. That year, he won the best player award and led Argentina to the title. But in 2026, he surprised many by playing at a similar level. Yamal said that even though everyone knows Messi is the best player in history, nobody expected him to have such an incredible World Cup.
FAQs
Q. What did Luis de la Fuente say about Yamal and Mbappe?
A. De la Fuente said Yamal is respectful towards Mbappe.
Q. What did Yamal say about the Ballon d’Or?
A. Yamal said he and Mbappe are the two best players.
Q. How did Mbappe respond to Yamal?
A. Mbappe praised Yamal and avoided a war of words.
Q. How long is De la Fuente’s new Spain contract?
A. His contract runs until 2032.
Q. Who did Yamal call the best player at the 2026 World Cup?
A. Yamal called Lionel Messi the best player.
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