Spain's manager will be relying on his faith to get him through Sunday's World Cup final against Argentina, but there is one thing he will not be praying for: a win.
Manager Luis de la Fuente has been open about his Catholic faith throughout Spain's run to the World Cup final. Speaking before Spain's semi-final against France, which Spain won 2–0, de la Fuente said he prays daily, “but not because I'm at a World Cup or because I'm trying to get a result”.
“I give thanks every day, every day I wake up feeling well. I look at myself and say: Another day I can enjoy life. I give thanks for those little things. I pray because I pray every day, not so that He will help me more,” he said.
Praying for victory, he said, would be “unfair” to his opponents.
“I ask for other things: health especially, and the rest, that they give me options to keep fighting. That's what I want. With my health, I have no problem fighting. I'm a warrior and I fight everything, but with my health. If I didn't have my health, then there would be a problem,” said de la Fuente.
De la Fuente previously told the Spanish website El Resurgir de Madrid that his Catholic faith “gives me a lot of strength, it gives me a lot of confidence”.
Catholicism, he said, “has allowed me to be the person I am today”.
The Spain manager said he was surprised by the public's interest in his faith, but appreciated the support.
“I don't understand why some people, after those public statements I made about my creed and religious beliefs, now approach me in the street to thank me for that testimony,” he said.
He continued: “Nothing is more valuable than my freedom. I respect everyone who respects me. In other words, I demand respect. I think diversity is great; there has to be everything, all kinds of thoughts, beliefs, ideologies.
“But I also want to be included, and we Catholics want to be there.”
Spain will play Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final at 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, July 19. Argentina are seeking to become the first nation to retain the World Cup since Brazil did in 1962, while Spain are hoping to win the tournament for the first time since 2010.
