The 2026 FIFA World Cup final has a storyline that screenwriters would reject for being too on the nose. Luis de la Fuente, the man who mentored Lionel Scaloni through his coaching license in Spain back in 2017, will now face his former student on July 16 for the most coveted trophy in world football.
Spain got here by dispatching France 2-0 in the semifinals. Argentina squeezed past England 2-1.
The coaching connection that makes this final unique
De la Fuente actually served as a mentor to Scaloni when the Argentine was completing his coaching certification in Spain in 2017. The two developed a real friendship during that process, one that has apparently persisted through the years.
De la Fuente has publicly acknowledged that he wanted this matchup. He expressed a desire to face Argentina specifically because of his personal connection to Scaloni.
