Spain just punched their ticket to the World Cup final, and before the other semifinal even kicks off, their head coach, Luis de la Fuente, has already revealed who he's secretly hoping to see across the pitch. Forget playing it cool, the man has a favorite!
De la Fuente Dropped a Bomb on Preferences
After La Roja eliminated France in a huge semifinal win, de la Fuente faced the press. He started with the standard coach line, saying, "We're not in a position to have preferences, it makes no difference to us." Sound familiar? But then, he totally went off script! He straight-up admitted, "Obviously, I'd be excited to play against Argentina because of the friendship I have with Scaloni." Friendship?! In the World Cup final?! You gotta love that kind of honesty, even if it's a little wild for a coach to say out loud. He did acknowledge England's potential, calling them "a very tough rival," and promised Spain would welcome either team "with open arms." But we all heard the part about Scaloni. Plus, he pointed out that for the first time ever, the four best national teams in FIFA rankings made it to the semis, proving how stacked this World Cup truly is.Scaloni's Hilarious Callback
Argentina's manager, Lionel Scaloni, heard about de la Fuente's comments, and his response was just as good. He shot back with a playful message for his coaching pal: "Am I going to call him? Depending on how things go for us, I'll call him. If we win, no. If we lose, I'll try to give him a hand. Hopefully I won't have to call him until after the final." That's pure gold, a perfect mix of competitive spirit and real friendship. You gotta appreciate that kind of banter when the biggest prize in soccer is on the line. So, get ready! Argentina and England are battling it out this Wednesday to see who gets to face Spain for all the glory. The stakes could not be higher. Then, it all comes down to Sunday, July 19, when the new World Champion will be crowned in New York. This is going to be epic!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.