De la Fuente: Yamal has the qualities of legends, and Mbappé will join him in creating a new era

Luis de la Fuente, the head coach of the Spain national team, praised Lamine Yamal, the star of FC Barcelona, confirming that he possesses the qualities that qualify him to become one of football's legends. He also spoke about the legacy left by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and the stars capable of leading the next phase.

In an interview with the Spanish news agency "Efe", during Spain's national team camp in preparation for their UEFA Nations League group stage matches against the Czech Republic and England, De La Fuente expressed his admiration for what Messi and Ronaldo have contributed to football, praising their values and sportsmanship.

The Spain coach said: "I am very impressed by both of them, especially by the values and principles they convey to the world of sports and society in general. They have been role models in football; they are players who have achieved everything, yet they continue to have the desire to win, one at the age of 39 and the other at 41. They have been examples of performance, behavior, and sportsmanship."

The Spanish national team coach expressed confidence in other stars to succeed Messi and Ronaldo, highlighting Kylian Mbappé, the Real Madrid forward, and Lamine Yamal, the FC Barcelona star.

He said: "They will create a new era in football, for sure, it is good for football that there is not just one star representing the role model for everyone, but there should be two or three players who serve as examples to be followed, creating a spirit of happiness and engagement, embodying one of the most important aspects of sport, which is competition that must always remain fair."

Regarding the advice he can give to Lamine Yamal to become a legendary player, De la Fuente confirmed that the FC Barcelona star possesses great maturity despite his young age, but he still needs support and protection amid the pressures surrounding him.

He said: "He is a young man with great maturity for his age, but he needs us to support him, like any young person his age who is still in the formative stage. He is aware of that; in special environments, he shows this maturity I am talking about, but he also needs to protect himself and defend it away from those environments, in the face of everything surrounding him."

He added: "I admire him, because a young man at the age of 19 who bears the media pressures he has faced since he was sixteen is not easy at all; in fact, it is extremely difficult. Nevertheless, he handles it with amazing composure. We should advise him to continue growing, developing, and working in the way he is, and then all doors will be open for him to become a legendary football player."