Luis de la Fuente (footballer, born 1961)
Luis de la Fuente Castillo (born 21 June 1961) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a left-back. He is the manager of the Spanish under-21 team. He amassed La Liga totals of 254 matches and six goals over 13 seasons, with Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla. Playing career. Born in Haro, La Rioja, de la Fuente graduated from Athletic Bilbao's youth system, and made his senior debut with the reserves in 1978, in Segunda División B. On 8 March 1981 he made his first-team – and La Liga – debut , coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–0 away draw against Valencia CF. De la Fuente was definitely promoted to the main squad in the summer of 1982. He scored his first professional goal on 26 March of the following year, the last in a 4–0 home rout of RC Celta de Vigo. In July 1987, de la Fuente moved to fellow league club Sevilla FC, and continued to appear regularly in the following campaigns. In 1991, he returned to Athletic for a 20 million pesetas fee, but was sparingly used. De la Fuente joined Deportivo Alavés in  1993, with the side in the third tier. After one season, he retired at the age of 33. Coaching career. De la Fuente's first managerial job was at Club Portugalete, in the regional leagues. In summer 2000 he was appointed at Segunda División B club CD Aurrerá de Vitoria, but was sacked in March of the following year in spite of a seventh place in the table. After a spell back at Sevilla, de la Fuente returned to Athletic. Initially a manager of the reserves, he also acted as match delegate for two years before returning to his previous  duties. On 13 July 2011, de la Fuente was named Alavés coach, being dismissed on 17 October. On 5 May 2013 he was appointed at the helm of the Spain under-19 team, who won the 2015 UEFA European Championship in Greece. De la Fuente became manager of the under-21 side in July 2018, after Albert Celades resigned. His first competition was the 2019 European Championship in Italy, conquered after the 1–0 final defeat of Germany in Udine. On 8 June 2021, de la Fuente and his team filled in as the Spain senior side for a UEFA Euro 2020 warm -up against Lithuania, after the aforementioned squad had gone into isolation when Sergio Busquets tested positive for COVID-19. They won 4–0 in Leganés. De la Fuente was also in charge of the Spanish Olympic team at the delayed 2020 games in Japan. His side won the silver medal, losing 2–1 to Brazil in the final. Honours. Player. Athletic Bilbao Manager. Spain U19 Spain U21 Spain U23