Luis de la Fuente: Strange that Spanish players are cheaper than English ones
De la Fuente said market prices don't always match players' quality and praised England's recent tournament results ahead of the Nations League clash.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said on 14 November 2026 at 23:00 that he finds it odd how much lower transfer fees for Spanish players are compared with English players, despite what he sees as higher footballing quality from Spain.
De la Fuente highlighted a gap between market valuations and on-field standards, arguing that financial labels don’t always reflect ability. "I'm surprised at how much cheaper Spanish players are compared with the colossal sums spent in England. In my view, Spanish players are better, although each market sets its own price limits," he said.
He also paid tribute to England's recent results.
Although critical voices often point to England's limited trophy haul, the Spain coach reminded that high expectations create pressure and scrutiny. "When expectations are high and the ultimate goal hasn't been achieved, doubts naturally arise. However, England reached the final of the last European Championship and the semi-finals of the World Cup. That is by no means easy and their results deserve respect," he added.
Meeting in the Nations League
The comments came ahead of Spain's meeting with England on 15 November 2026 in the final group fixture of the Nations League. The game is set to close the two teams' group campaign and arrive after several months of club football and international windows.
De la Fuente's remarks frame the encounter partly as a debate about talent valuation as much as it is about on-pitch rivalry, and they add context to a match that carries both sporting prestige and national expectations.
Photo: press material from the event
