Spain coach De la Fuente regrets San Mames reaction to World Cup heroes

Luis de la Fuente says he was saddened by the boos heard at San Mames when Spain’s World Cup-winning players presented the trophy to supporters in Bilbao.

Aymeric Laporte, Nico Williams and Unai Simon displayed the World Cup before the crowd at the stadium, but the reception included jeers. De la Fuente, Spain’s manager, was asked about the incident during an interview with Spanish national radio.

“I feel sorry about the whistles at San Mames,” he said.

De la Fuente said he had spent “18 years in this house”, referring to his long association with Athletic Club and its footballing environment. He argued that the reaction did not show sufficient respect for Spain’s achievement at the World Cup or for the players who helped deliver it.

Laporte, Williams and Simon are all products of the club’s system, having grown up and trained at the Lezama academy. Their presentation of the trophy in Bilbao therefore carried particular significance, making the response from some supporters especially disappointing for the Spain manager.

The comments come as De la Fuente continues to dominate the sporting agenda following Spain’s World Cup triumph this summer. His interview also addressed wider issues facing the country, including the sensitive migration situation in Ceuta.

Asked about the circumstances affecting the city and its residents, De la Fuente said: “The first people who should regain their lives are the people of Ceuta, who have seen, in one way or another, their normal lives come to a halt.”

He did not elaborate further on the issue, but his remarks placed the wellbeing of Ceuta’s population at the centre of his response.

De la Fuente was also asked about the possibility of Spain hosting the 2030 World Cup final. Spain is among the countries involved in staging that tournament, and the manager said he supported the decisive match being played on home soil.

“As the host country, there are many possibilities, and I support the final being played here in our country,” said De la Fuente.

His comments leave open the question of where the 2030 final would be held, while making clear his preference for Spain to host the match. The interview therefore covered both the continuing response to Spain’s World Cup success and two major national sporting issues: the treatment of the squad’s players in Bilbao and the prospect of the country staging the tournament’s final.

De la Fuente’s criticism of the San Mames jeers focused particularly on the players’ links to the club and its academy. For him, the World Cup presentation was an opportunity to recognise Spain’s achievement and the contribution of footballers who had developed within the Athletic Club system.