RutaMister Blog
Ideas, experiences and practical resources about grassroots football, coach education, methodology, team management and player development.
Football newsSpain at the 2026 World Cup: the squad, Group H and the first match
Luis de la Fuente's 26-man list announced on 25 May 2026 leans on a strong FC Barcelona bloc (8 players), the breakouts of Cubarsí and Pubill, and a single Real Madrid name (Cucurella, on the books at Chelsea when the list was announced). After the 0-0 against Cape Verde and the 4-0 over Saudi Arabia, Spain top Group H with 4 points.
CoachesLuis de la Fuente: from U21 to senior Spain, the method behind two Euros
Luis de la Fuente won the U19 Euro (2015), the U21 Euro (2019) and Olympic silver in Tokyo before lifting Euro 2024. When he took over the senior side in 2022 he already knew Fabián Ruiz, Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino. Methodological continuity explains much of the success.
CoachesLuis de la Fuente vs Luis Enrique: comparing the two Spain coaches
Same 4-3-3, same single pivot, opposite communication styles. Luis Enrique lost three consecutive penalty shootouts (Russia, Italy, Morocco). De la Fuente won the first tournament with a perfect record and never going to spot kicks. Data-driven comparison.
CoachesLuis de la Fuente tactics: the 4-3-3 that won Spain Euro 2024
Spain won Euro 2024 with a 4-3-3 built on a single pivot, two vertical wingers (Yamal and Nico Williams) and the bravery to play through the middle. Seven games, seven wins, no penalty shootouts and a goal-scoring record.
First stepsHow a grassroots football coach should be
Five traits, four signals to measure your work and the most typical mistakes of those starting out. A guide to calibrate which coach you are and which coach your group needs, without idealising the role.
MethodologyGrassroots football exercises by age: from prebenjamín to cadete
Every category has a different brain. A guide with tasks, criteria and common mistakes for training prebenjamín, benjamín, alevín, infantil and cadete without rushing in concepts that do not belong yet.
MethodologyTacticAI: DeepMind's new brain that is reshaping football (and why Liverpool already uses it)
TacticAI is the result of a multi-year collaboration between Google DeepMind and Liverpool FC analysts: a cutting-edge tactical assistant designed to master the corner kick.
Football news2026 World Cup schedule: dates, venues, groups and Spain fixtures
Complete schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the 16 venues, the 12 groups, Spain fixtures, the knockout bracket and kick-off times converted to CEST.
First stepsOnline football coaching courses in Spain: when they count and when they do not
An online course can help you learn methodology, tactics or team management, but it only helps you coach officially if it leads to a recognised licence or qualification.