FIFA World Cup 2026 final: A battle between master and pupil
The FIFA World Cup 2026 final features a unique narrative as Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni faces his former mentor, Spain's Luis de la Fuente. Both coaches share a history from their time at the Spanish Football Federation's academy and have expressed mutual respect ahead of the match.
Why it matters
The personal history between the two coaches adds a compelling human-interest angle to the world's most-watched sporting event.
The embrace lasted longer than the cameras expected.
After a quick interaction in front of the fans at the FIFA Fanatics events, a first ahead of a World Cup final, Lionel Scaloni, the Argentina coach, walked across the stage and wrapped his former teacher, Luis de La Fonte, in a tight hug.
The mentor and his student had a personal moment in front of the prying eyes of thousands who had paid $60 to get the feel of a scripted press conference before the summit clash.
On Sunday, they will stand in opposite technical areas with football’s biggest prize in contention.
Their relationship stretches back to 2017, when Scaloni, just retired from playing, had enrolled for his UEFA Pro coaching licence at the Spanish Football Federation’s academy in Las Rozas. One of the instructors guiding the course was de la Fuente, then one of Spain’s most respected coaching educators.
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