The classroom moment that bonds finalists De la Fuente & Scaloni forever

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni will meet in Sunday’s World Cup final in New Jersey with an unusual shared history: De la Fuente was one of Scaloni’s instructors when the Argentine studied for his Uefa Pro Licence at the Spanish federation in 2017. Scaloni, then adjusting to life after playing, reportedly earned one of the strongest marks in his class and has credited De la Fuente with helping the group.

The report frames the final as a meeting of “teacher” and “student,” while noting that neither man has managed a top-flight club match. De la Fuente, 65, moved through Spanish federation youth roles after a difficult period out of work, later coaching many current Spain players at under-19, under-21 and Olympic level before taking the senior job in 2022. He is now trying to hold the World Cup and European Championship titles at the same time.

Scaloni’s route was different. A former Argentina international and Deportivo La Coruna player, he entered coaching after retirement, worked with youth players in Mallorca, assisted Jorge Sampaoli at Sevilla and Argentina, and then took over the national team after the 2018 World Cup. Despite early doubts about his experience, he led Argentina to major success and is now one match from retaining the World Cup.

BBC Sport highlights similarities between the finalists: both emphasize continuity, close-knit squads and a family-like atmosphere. For Spain, that comes through long-term federation development; for Argentina, through dressing-room culture, former-player staff, barbecues and shared rituals. The final matters not only for the trophy, but as a test of two unconventional managerial paths.