World Cup: How Spain built a golden generation 2.0 under Luis de Le Fuente

When Spain won the 2008 European Championship, they finally shed their long-standing tag of underachievers on both the European and world stage. Their only previous major triumph had come at the 1964 European Nations' Cup, but they repeatedly failed to go the distance in major tournaments — until their historic triumphs at Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The jinx ended in the new millennium as Spain's golden generation of Xavi, Iniesta & Co. added a second successive European title in 2012. Though there was a dip after those pass masters gradually faded away, the enigmatic Luis de la Fuente scripted Spain's resurgence over the last four years with a refined version of tiki-taka. The results speak for themselves—UEFA Nations League (2023), UEFA Euro (2024) and now a second FIFA World Cup title.

A quick look at the numbers shows that Spain have won an astonishing 16 world and European titles across age groups — from Under-17 to senior level — over the last five years. They are also the first nation to hold both the men's and women's FIFA World Cup titles simultaneously, having defeated England in the 2023 Women's World Cup final in Sydney. Add to that the men's Olympic gold at Paris 2024, while the women's team also lifted the UEFA Nations League in 2024 and 2025.

"It is a dominance," Spanish football expert Guillem Balague told BBC Sport. "It's like the perfect storm. Culturally, we do things a certain way. Everybody believes in it. The important thing is that we don't stop." Balague, incidentally, is also Lionel Messi's biographer, having chronicled the Argentine icon's journey from a gifted teenager at Barcelona's famed La Masia academy to one of football's greatest-ever players.

A glance at Spain's overflowing trophy cabinet over the last five years reveals a remarkable haul of age-group honours, including the Under-20 and Under-17 World Cup titles in 2022, as well as five UEFA Under-19 European Championships. It reflects the extraordinary conveyor belt of talent the reigning European and world champions continue to produce, backed by a world-class academy system that has nurtured stars such as the precocious Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and 19-year-old Pau Cubarsí, who was named the FIFA World Cup's Best Young Player.

It must have been a deeply satisfying moment for the likes of Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Carles Puyol, Pepe Reina and Iker Casillas to watch from the VIP stands as their legacy was carried forward by a new generation. While there is a clear difference in the style Luis de la Fuente has introduced, it is significant that the 65-year-old has built on Spain's famed passing game by adding relentless pressing and quicker transitions.

Commenting on the perceptible changes in Spain's style, legendary German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn said: "They have further developed tiki-taka over the last 10 or 12 years, with De la Fuente making key adaptations. They play more vertically, are far more aggressive, with the full-backs constantly pushing forward... This is a totally different Spain from the one we saw 10 years ago."

While the philosophy may have evolved, the statistics from the final—as well as the seven matches preceding it—still reflected Spain's footballing DNA. In a one-sided contest that repeatedly left the mercurial Lionel Messi isolated, captain and Golden Ball winner Rodri orchestrated proceedings as Spain completed 762 successful passes—more than double Argentina's 358. Unsurprisingly, they dominated 65 per cent possession and fired 20 shots at goal. Had the towering Emiliano "Emi" Martínez not produced a string of outstanding saves, and had Nico Williams' goal not been ruled out for a debatable foul by Mikel Merino in the build-up, the 2022 world champions might have suffered an even heavier defeat.

While the tactical changes were one area De la Fuente focused on after taking charge in 2022, another was instilling a team-first ethos in a squad packed with club football's biggest stars. Fernando Hierro, Spain's former captain who worked alongside De la Fuente at the Royal Spanish Football Federation, believes the harmony within the squad has become one of its greatest strengths.

"They are like a close-knit family; they enjoy spending time together and genuinely have fun. That creates an exceptional atmosphere. In a World Cup, where people spend so much time living and working together, that becomes incredibly important. I think that says a lot about the work Luis did before the tournament even began."

The trust factor was evident throughout the tournament. After Spain's underwhelming draw against Cabo Verde in their opening match, De la Fuente resisted calls for sweeping changes and kept faith in Mikel Oyarzabal. The Real Sociedad forward repaid that confidence with five goals.

He also showed he was unafraid to make difficult decisions. Back in May, De la Fuente made headlines by naming no Real Madrid player in Spain's squad for the first time, citing injuries and a lack of suitable homegrown candidates.

So, what next for Spain? Euro 2028 is just two years away, and La Roja already look like the team to beat. Another European title would place this generation alongside the iconic side that dominated world football between 2008 and 2012.  

Spain’s winning machine

Women’s football (11 titles 2022-2026)

Senior: World Cup (2023); Nations Leagues (2024, 2025)

Under-20: World Cup (2022)

Under-19: Under-19 European champions (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)

Under-17: World Cup (2022); European champions (2024)

Men’s football (5 titles 2022-2026)

Senior: World Cup (2026); European champions (2024); Nations League (2023)

Under-23: Olympic gold medal winners (2024)

Under-19: European champions (2026)