Spain’s national team coach Luis de la Fuente is giving glory to God as his side advances to the World Cup final. Before Spain’s semifinal against France, De la Fuente spoke about his faith and how he prays in such a high-pressure moment. Instead of talking about superstition or “lucky” rituals, he pointed to his daily relationship with God.
“I pray every day, but not because I’m at a World Cup or because I’m trying to get a result,” he told reporters according to ACI Prensa. For him, prayer is not a charm to win matches, but a habit of constant gratitude.
“I give thanks every day, every day that I get up and I’m well,” he continued. “I look at myself and I say: another day that I can enjoy life. I give thanks for those details. I pray because I pray every day, not so that He will help me more.”
De la Fuente also showed a strong sense of justice and charity when speaking about asking God for help before such an important match. “It would be unfair to ask Him to help me and not help our opponent,” he said.
Instead, he entrusts other intentions to God: “I ask for other things: health, especially, and the rest, that He may give me the chance to keep fighting. That’s what I want. With health I have no problem fighting. I’m a warrior and I fight everything, but with health. If I didn’t have health, then there would be some problem.”
As ACI Prensa notes, the coach is widely known for living his Catholic faith visibly and unapologetically. Although he received a religious upbringing as a child, he has shared that he freely and consciously embraced the faith as an adult.
He also clarified that making the sign of the cross before a match is not superstition. It’s a simple, natural expression of what he believes.
De la Fuente has strong devotions as well: he is devoted to Christ of the Expiration, known as “El Cachorro” in Seville, and to Our Lady of the Vega, patroness of Haro, his hometown, ACI Prensa reports.