The only one to begin a qualifying cycle with a defeat in the last 35 years was Luis Suárez, in 1988, against Yugoslavia.
Luis de la Fuente began his tenure as the new coach of the Spanish national team with a confident 3-0 win on his slate. The opponent was Norway, a match that counted toward Euro 2024 qualification. The weight of expectation was immense. The pressure was intense. In the past 35 years, Luis Suárez stands as the sole Spain manager to debut with a loss, back in 1988 in a clash with Yugoslavia.
Coaching staff of Luis de la Fuente in the Spanish national team
How did the debuts of the most recent Spain managers unfold?
Luis Suárez
The debut was a defeat, on September 14, 1988, in Oviedo, against Yugoslavia. The final score was 1-2.
Vincent del Bosque
Del Bosque, who followed Suárez, made his first appearance for the national team on September 4, 1991, also in Oviedo, a 2-1 victory over Uruguay with goals from Martín Vázquez and Manolo.
Javier Clemente
At El Sardinero in Santander, Clemente appeared on September 9, 1992 and led Spain to a fine 1-0 win over England, courtesy of a goal from Fonseca.
Jose Antonio Camacho
His debut came on September 24, 1998, with a 1-0 win against Russia, thanks to Bittor Alkiza’s goal.
Inaki Saez
He did not win, but he did not lose either. On August 21, 2002, the coach opened with a draw against Hungary (1-1) in Budapest, a match framed as a tribute to Ferenc Puskás.
Luis Aragonés
One of the most influential coaches in Spanish football history, Aragonés debuted on August 18, 2004 in Gran Canaria, as Spain defeated Venezuela 3-2 in a thrilling match featuring Raúl Tamudo’s brace and a Morientes strike.
Vladimir Del Bosque
The world champion coach began with a win: 3-0 over Denmark in Copenhagen.
Julen Lopetegui
With David Silva contributing a brace, Lopetegui’s first match as an away coach ended 0-2 against Belgium.
Fernando Hierro
A striking debut. With Lopetegui’s exit just before the 2018 World Cup, Hierro, then the sporting director, took charge and produced a 3-3 draw against a star-studded Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Luis Enrique
In September 2018, the Asturian coach opened with a notable victory: 2-1 at Wembley over England, earning three points in the Nations League. Saúl Ñíguez and Rodrigo Moreno supplied the goals as England chased a comeback led by Rashford.
Robert Moreno
The Catalan coach briefly led the team, stepping in for Luis Enrique. He made his debut in September 2019 with a 2-1 win over Romania, featuring goals from Sergio Ramos on a penalty and Alcácer.
Luis van de Bron
He began on March 26, 2023 against Norway, a Euro 2024 qualifier that ended 3-0 in favor of Spain, with Joselu scoring twice and Dani Olmo adding another.
Note: this overview reflects the progression of Spain’s national team coaches through the years, illustrating how different debuts set tones for leadership eras and the evolving dynamics of national team management. The information is compiled from contemporary sports archives and match records.
Note on attribution: this synthesis draws on widely reported match histories and coaching tenures from period records and sporting archives.
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