Spain has won a World Cup again. The national team defeated Argentina in the final, and its 26 players represent 22 locations across Spain, including Terrassa, which contributed coach Luis de la Fuente.
The Spanish football team has made history again by being crowned champions of the 2026 World Cup after defeating Argentina in a thrilling final. But the trophy speaks not only of football: it also connects with 22 locations across Spain, from small towns to large cities. One of these is Terrassa, the municipality in Vallès that saw the birth of coach Luis de la Fuente.
Luis de la Fuente, the Terrassa coach who led Spain to glory
The national coach, Luis de la Fuente, was born in Terrassa in 1961. Raised in the Ca n'Anglada neighbourhood, he began his career as a footballer at Club Deportivo Terrassa before moving to Athletic Club, where he played as a left-back. His coaching career has taken him to manage the under-19, under-21, and finally the senior national team, with which he has won the World Cup. For the fans from Terrassa, the title has a special flavour: seeing a local lift the World Cup.
"It is an immense pride for Terrassa. Luis is an example of hard work and perseverance, and he shows that one can reach the highest from here," said sources from the Terrassa City Council.
The council has already announced that it is preparing a tribute to the coach in the coming days, although no specific date has been set yet. De la Fuente is expected to visit the city to receive recognition from his fellow citizens.
From Estanyol to Vitoria: the origins of the champions
The rest of the squad has roots spread across the Spanish geography. The youngest player on the team, Pau Cubarsí, 19 years old, was born in Estanyol (Girona), a locality with just 180 inhabitants. His rise at Barça and in the national team has been meteoric, and he was named the best young player of the tournament. At the other end, goalkeeper Unai Simón was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz but grew up in Murgia (Álava), a village of less than 5,000 inhabitants at the foot of the Gorbea Natural Park.
Full-back Pedro Porro hails from Don Benito (Badajoz), an Extremaduran city of 37,000 inhabitants, while defender Aymeric Laporte is the only one born outside Spain: in Agen, in the southwest of France. The rest of the 26 called-up players come from places like Málaga, Sevilla, Bilbao, Barcelona, or Pamplona, among others.
"Each of these players represents their town or city, and together they have made the dream of an entire country come true," highlighted the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
For fans in the province of Barcelona, the World Cup has an extra incentive: besides De la Fuente, several players have ties to the area. Lamine Yamal, although born in Esplugues de Llobregat, was trained at La Masia and is one of the great promises of world football. Dani Olmo, a native of Terrassa, is also a reference, although this time he was not part of the final squad due to injury.
A title that unites generations and territories
The 2026 World Cup has been the second in the history of the Spanish national team, after the one in 2010 in South Africa. The team led by Terrassa's De la Fuente has shown solid play and has been able to overcome adversities, such as Olmo's injury or the last-minute absence of Gavi. The final against Argentina was resolved with a goal from Nico Williams in extra time, which unleashed madness across the country.
For the residents of Terrassa, the title has a special meaning. "It is the first time that a coach from our city has won a World Cup. It is a reason for pride and celebration," explains a spokesperson for the local football club. The City Council has already hung a banner on the façade of the town hall with a photo of De la Fuente and the legend "World Champions".
The next challenge for the national team will be qualifying for the Euro 2028, but for now, the focus is on celebration. The squad is scheduled to parade through the streets of Madrid next Saturday, and it is expected that De la Fuente will visit Terrassa in the following weeks to receive the affection of his neighbours.
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