Spain’s Nations League triumph calms fears around De la Fuente project

ROTTERDAM: Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has quelled the doubts around him by leading his country to Nations League glory and ending a decade-long trophy drought.

La Roja needed penalties to see off Croatia and triumph in Rotterdam, but doing so helped ease tensions following their Euro 2024 qualifying defeat by Scotland in March.

De la Fuente’s appointment by the Spanish Football Federation to replace Luis Enrique raised eyebrows — the 61-year-old is a relative unknown as a coach, having worked within the country’s youth ranks from 2013 onwards.

After an unconvincing performance in a win over Norway in his opening game, defeat in Glasgow sparked alarm.

However, matches three and four proved far more enjoyable for the coach, beating Italy and then Croatia to lift the cup.

The king of Spain, Felipe VI, welcomed the team home at Zarzuela Palace on Monday after they earned their first trophy since Euro 2012.

That conquest, along with World Cup 2010 and Euro 2008, was a golden era for Spain, which all future teams are judged against.

Although the Nations League is a new competition, this is only its third edition, Spain and De la Fuente are hopeful that it can prove a springboard for more success, with the waters now more tranquil around him.

“All projects are better constructed on a base of victory and this gives us more strength, confidence, calm,” said the coach. Federation president Luis Rubiales defended De la Fuente and said stories that he considered ousting him were false.

“The coach has always been very secure, and we believe in him to the maximum,” Rubiales told reporters on Sunday.

“We have no problem, the coach has always been 100 percent in his job, and we have always trusted in him.

“He’s been at