Trainer Spain Luis de la Fuente wasn’t the most Hollywood appointment when he replaced Lusi Enrique, but he certainly proved his worth by lifting Spain’s first major international trophy since the golden generation won the 2012 European Championship. However, his current contract does not reflect that.
De la Fuente signed a two-year contract with the Royal Spanish Football Federation in 2022, with an option for a further two, and that option was exercised before his contract expired during the European Championship. That extension increased his salary to about one million euros per year, which is significantly less than that of his predecessors, and less than when President Luis Rubiales promised him. Despite comments earlier this week that it was “not normal” that he was “without a contract”, de la Fuente is still under contract with La Roja.
Since then, interim president Pedro Rocha tried to prepare a new deal for de la Fuente, but he was subsequently suspended. Outside of Rocha’s leadership, there were only interim committees in charge to continue day-to-day activities while Rocha’s struggle for the presidency continued.
Ultimately, Cadena Cope says that de la Fuente is not happy with his contract as it is, but that the Federation will not hand him a new contract until a new president is installed. The main reason for this is that a temporary committee does not have the authority to make decisions regarding his employment.
But considering it’s been over a year since Rubiales left his role, De la Fuente’s frustration and concern are understandable. At the age of 63, the Spain If his job is likely his last chance to make a lot of money, and if there is little guarantee that the presidency will be resolved anytime soon, it may seem like that opportunity is slipping away. Moreover, despite his success, there are no guarantees that he will be in charge beyond the 2026 World Cup.