De La Fuente Says Spain’s Past Success Won’t Matter Against England

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has warned his players that their recent World Cup and European Championship successes will not give them an advantage when they face England in their UEFA Nations League opener at Wembley.

The two teams are scheduled to meet on Saturday, September 26, in their Group A3 opener, with De La Fuente urging his players to focus on the immediate challenge rather than their previous achievements.

Speaking in an interview published by UEFA on Monday, the 65-year-old coach said Spain must improve their performance and match England’s motivation if they are to begin their Nations League campaign positively.

“Nothing we have achieved so far will help us beat England,” De La Fuente said, adding that his players must remain focused, give their maximum effort and perform better than they have done previously.

De La Fuente described England as a strong national team and said playing at Wembley against such opposition should provide Spain’s players with enough motivation.

He said the fixture would allow Spain to immediately return to competitive action at the highest level after their recent international success.

“It’s a new story and a new film – we want to be the stars of this new film,” De La Fuente said, stressing that his players must treat the match as the beginning of another chapter.

The Spain coach also highlighted the mentality that has developed within the squad.

He said several players had worked with him from their youth careers through the Under-21 level, Olympic Games, Nations League and European Championship before reaching the highest level of international success.

According to De La Fuente, the team’s achievements have been the result of steady development and continuous improvement rather than simply relying on past victories.

He recalled that after one of Spain’s major successes, a player asked him what more the team could achieve. De La Fuente said he responded by pointing to their next match against England.

He added that the squad remained hungry for further success and continued to set new targets despite completing what he described as an important journey together.

De La Fuente also acknowledged that Spain’s status as world champions could provide England with additional motivation.

He said Spain must be prepared for the intensity of their opponents and ensure that their own players display an equal level of determination.

“We need to be as motivated as our opponents,” he said, adding that the team would need to maintain its desire and concentration throughout the encounter.

The coach said Spain’s recent progress had been built through a process of learning and improvement, with each tournament contributing to the development of the squad.

England and Spain will meet at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. UK time, which is also 7:45 p.m. West Africa Time.

The return fixture is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, 2026, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, with kick-off also set for 7:45 p.m. West Africa Time.

Both teams will be looking to begin their Group A3 campaign with a positive result as they start their latest Nations League campaign.

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