De la Fuente remains calm amid criticism of Yamal

Luis de la Fuente, coach of La Roja, is not disturbed by the criticism surrounding Lamine Yamal, scorer of Spain's first goal in the 3-2 victory over England on Saturday night in the Nations League, and who confirmed his key role in the attacking setup.

The manager says he is not particularly concerned about the remarks. The forward remains at the centre of comparisons between his performances at FC Barcelona and with La Roja.

De la Fuente points out that, as 2026 World Cup champion, Yamal plays differently with La Roja, less focused on individual exploits and more integrated into the collective.

After the match, the 65-year-old coach said he was very satisfied with the performance of the former La Masia player, believing that the youngster fully met expectations.

Luis de la Fuente pushes Lamine Yamal to master the off‑ball game

Distinction between the demands of Barça and La Roja

Luis de la Fuente, 65, emphasized the difference between the demands of FC Barcelona and those of La Roja, despite a similar playing philosophy. “I don’t know what they ask of him at Barcelona,” he said, adding that the national style seeks to bring out the best in the player.

Assessment of Yamal’s performance

The coach concluded by describing Lamine Yamal’s performance as exceptional. “He does what each action and each game situation requires of him,” he affirmed, adding that the management was very happy with this result.

Thus, despite the endless comparisons, the manager believes that Yamal fully meets the demands of La Roja and continues to progress within the squad.